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Democrat Nunn calls for VA secretary to resign

By WTOP Staff

CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Democrat Michelle Nunn, who’s seeking Georgia’s open Senate seat, has joined a chorus of congressional candidates from both parties calling for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to leave amid a growing crisis over veterans’ health care.

Nunn stopped short of calling for Shinseki’s firing in a statement Friday. Her father, former Sen. Sam Nunn, was a moderate who represented Georgia for years and once served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Her father was also heavily involved in drafting the 1986 Department of Defense Reorganization Act, which reworked the military’s command structure and increased the powers of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“It has become increasingly clear that we need new leadership to build confidence, focus and accountability at the VA to fix what is wrong with the agency,” said Michelle Nunn. “I hope that Gen. Shinseki will step aside to allow for fresh leadership to tackle these pressing issues and support the veterans that the general is deeply committed to serving.”

And the number of sitting politicians and challengers calling for Shinseki’s resignation continues to grow as the VA investigates 26 facilities nationwide over allegations of treatment delays and deaths. Also Friday, one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents, Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., added his name to the list, saying “by stepping aside, Secretary Shinseki will help to restore the trust our veterans must have in the VA and will demonstrate a commitment by this administration to address the system’s serious shortcomings.”

A day earlier, Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky also called for new leadership, saying: “I don’t see how that breach of trust with our veterans can be repaired if the current leadership stays in place.”

Georgia and Kentucky are key battlegrounds in the upcoming midterm elections, as Democrats see Nunn and Grimes as their best opportunities to thwart efforts by Republicans seeking a majority in the Senate. Grimes is challenging Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and the GOP needs just six more seats to take control of the chamber.

Earlier this week McConnell said problems at the VA were “a management problem, not a money problem.”

Both Grimes and Nunn have kept their distance from President Barack Obama as they look to woo moderate voters in their states. Just recently, both candidates refused to say whether they would have voted for the federal health care law, Obama’s signature legislative achievement. And Republicans quickly sought to portray Nunn’s statement on Shinseki as a reversal, noting she had said in a May 11 debate that she would “defer to the president’s judgment” when asked whether Shinseki should resign.

In Georgia, the two Republicans competing in a runoff for the party’s Senate nomination, Rep. Jack Kingston and former Dollar General CEO David Perdue, have both called for Shinseki to resign.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, stopped short of calling for Shinseki to resign Thursday but said he was getting closer to doing so. He called the reports about the VA appalling and said someone should be held accountable.

Shinseki, 71, said Thursday he intends to remain on the job. The former Army general and chief of staff added “this is not the first time” he has faced controversy in his career.

Obama’s deputy chief of staff, Rob Nabors, was in Phoenix on Thursday to meet with hospital staff. The director of the Phoenix VA Health Care System has been placed on leave while the inspector general investigates claims that up to 40 people died while awaiting treatment there.

The allegations have raised fresh concerns about the Obama administration’s management of a department that has been struggling to keep up with an influx of veterans returning home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and Vietnam veterans needing more care as they age.

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Associated Press writers Matthew Daly, Jim Kuhnhenn and Erica Werner in Washington contributed to this report.

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Follow Christina Almeida Cassidy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Christina.

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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