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Reid opposes Obama court pick

By WTOP Staff

DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, one of the Obama administration’s staunchest allies in Congress, announced his opposition Thursday to Michael Boggs’ nomination to the federal bench, dealing a strong if not fatal blow to the former Georgia state lawmaker’s confirmation hopes.

“Somebody should have looked a little more deeply into his record,” Reid said of Boggs, nominated to the U.S. District Court in Georgia. He faced sharp questioning at a recent confirmation hearing into his past support for state proposals to post information online about doctors who perform abortions and to keep the Confederate battle emblem on the Georgia flag.

In his testimony, Boggs said that as a state lawmaker, he was representing his constituents’ views. He said he now believes his vote on abortion doctors was wrong, and he’s glad the Confederate emblem was later removed from the flag.

The Democratic-controlled committee has yet to schedule a vote on the nomination, and some lawmakers submitted questions for Boggs to answer before that can happen. Even if the panel does approve the pick, Reid pointedly refrained from saying Boggs should automatically receive a vote in the full Senate.

At the same time, the administration worked to build support for a second nominee, dispatching departing White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler and her successor, W. Neil Eggleston, to meet with Democratic senators to discuss David Barron’s appointment to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Barron is a former Justice Department official who authored secret legal opinions justifying the drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born al-Qaida leader. Under pressure, administration officials agreed to let senators read unedited copies of all written legal advice that he wrote on the use of lethal force against U.S. citizens in counterterrorism operations.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he read the memos but is still not satisfied and will attempt to block Barron’s nomination.

Reid’s announcement on Boggs marked a turnabout in a long-running political drama in which the president’s judicial nominees have played starring roles.

Democrats unilaterally changed the application of the Senate’s venerable filibuster rules last year to eliminate the requirement of a 60-vote majority to overcome opposition by a minority of critics. They did so after accusing Republicans of slowing confirmation of Obama’s picks for the court to a crawl.

Republicans countered that Obama’s selections had been winning confirmation at a rate of nearly 100 percent, disputing charges that they were guilty of obstruction.

The White House offered no immediate reaction to Reid’s announcement. Earlier in the week, spokesman Jay Carney defended the pick in the wake of the confirmation hearing, saying, “Of all the recent criticisms offered against Michael Boggs, not one is based on his record as a judge for the past 10 years” in state courts.

Boggs was nominated as part of an agreement between Obama and Georgia’s two Republican senators, Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, to fill seven vacancies on the bench in the state.

Isakson said the agreement was that all seven “would all go before the (Judiciary Committee) at the same time,” and did not extend further.

In addition to Reid’s comments, other members of the Senate Democratic leadership have expressed concerns about Boggs’ record. Additionally, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the Judiciary Committee, made clear he was not part of the White House’s agreement with the two Georgia senators.

In his testimony earlier in the week, Boggs said that, if confirmed, he would rule based on judicial precedents. “I can separate any political or partisan or public policy position I may have from my ability to be an impartial decision-maker,” he said.

Democrats also are upset that while in the state legislature, Boggs supported a proposed amendment to the state constitution to ban same-sex marriages. He told the committee his position on that issue “may or may not have changed since that time.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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