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Boehner, Pelosi reserve judgment on VA’s Shinseki

By WTOP Staff

MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican and Democrat in the House aren’t ready to join other members of Congress who say Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki should resign.

House Speaker John Boehner told reporters Thursday that he’s reserving judgment about the embattled secretary. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she has great respect for Shinseki and firing him would reward those who misled him.

Even if Shinseki were to step down, that wouldn’t get to the bottom of the problems for the VA’s troubled health care system, said Boehner, R-Ohio.

“The real issue here is that the president is the one who should be held accountable,” Boehner said.

Pelosi, D-Calif., said that it’s “easy” for politicians to call for the resignation of a top leader such as Shinseki, but asked, “Is it a solution?”

The comments by the two House leaders came as another Democratic senator, Virginia’s Mark Warner, called for Shinseki to step aside. Warner is the sixth Senate Democrat to call for Shinseki’s resignation since Wednesday, when the VA’s inspector general reported he has found systemic problems at the VA nationwide. All are facing tough election campaign this fall.

The report said about 1,700 veterans in need of care were “at risk of being lost or forgotten” after being kept off the official waiting list at the Phoenix VA hospital. Veterans on the list waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment — nearly five times longer than the average the hospital had reported to the national VA, the report said.

Warner said in a statement Thursday that Shinseki, a retired four-star Army general, “has served our country with distinction,” but added: “I now believe he should step aside in order to allow our focus and our efforts to be on making the critically needed changes to fix the VA. “

A spokesman said President Barack Obama considers the IG’s findings “extremely troubling.” Pelosi called the action recounted in the report “shameful” and “unacceptable.”

Dozens of Republicans, including the head of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., have called for Shinseki to leave.

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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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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