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Bipartisan effort to reinstate military tuition assistance

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    Sen. Jerry Moran speaks out

  • Duration 5:16
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-- pars an effort is under way on Capitol Hill to restore a -- tuition assistance program for members of the military.

The army the air force in the -- suspended this popular program.

Blaming the automatic spending -- known as sequester I joining me now is when the sponsors the bills try to.

Some way to keep this in his Republican senator Jerry Moran at Kansas senator nice -- back with -- Janet good to be with you thanks for the opportunity on what I -- a very important topic what we thought it was an important story to the one of the things we've heard about -- is that it was sweeping.

And in many ways irreversible so what exactly can congress deal to change -- us.

Well working its way through the S senate today on a bill the tardy pass the house this weekend it's being negotiated next week a vote.

Is what's called a continuing resolution that funds the federal government between now.

And the into the fiscal year.

And so this is an appropriation bill that gives us the opportunity to make some adjustments.

In sequestration what I think we have here is the administration was opposed to sequestration didn't believe that we could afford.

The 85 billion dollars in reduced reduced spending or what I really should say is it didn't reduce the increase in spending.

I and so it seems to me that they picked many of the most popular and important programs to highlight how terrible sequestration would be -- Reality leading by eight million -- this choice you think this choice -- cut this financial assistance as political.

Well it's it certainly there's less than that there is still more money there in fact in most instances there's more money in -- counts.

Then there was just so -- years ago and in many cases more money than what the president recommended.

In his budget last year so it does suggest that there is this picking and choosing of how to.

Most affect the public so that there's more pressure on members of congress to undo sequestration.

But 85 billion dollars lot of money it's only 28 days the amount of money the federal government borrows -- something that's manageable.

But like think what we have is singling out these programs that caused great damage and and cost to Americans so that we respond.

This bill gives us the opportunity to say don't cut this but there other things here that so that we don't need to spend money on some pretty -- decisions.

-- find the money to you said this is about a half billion dollars 500 million dollars it pays for this program.

Where does that money come from if -- if they're not choosing to cut -- -- what do they cut.

In order to have the money for this program or our cuts not needed and I'm curious about where specifically you find the money to.

Act -- for no program -- for example Jenna I also have another amendment that deals with White House to worst.

And what we discovered was -- we transfer money from the Department of Homeland Security they just two weeks ago purchased fifty million dollars.

Of TSA new uniforms.

And how did that become a higher priority than some of these other things in in that case closing the opportunity for Americans to see the White House.

I think what were asking here is to use your discretion.

I use some common sense and make decisions that benefit the American people -- almost any business person.

-- if they were asked to cut a small percentage in the increase in their spending.

Could say well we can do without best but this is more important and so.

Think this is the opportunity to have to clearly send the the requirement in fact the message but it's more than that the requirement.

That this is a priority so there are other things that shouldn't be.

Let me answer that the White House trees we just got -- at the end.

The Easter egg roll is on for congress.

And congressional families at the White House -- judicious and every year.

-- the Easter egg roll -- -- for congress but the average American family can't go and visit the White House.

That choice to keep -- -- roll on for congressional members but regular families can't go visit the White House do you think that's fair.

No absolutely not -- would think that way if there's anything that dead that would reduce that.

Perk or benefit -- -- for a member of congress.

That's a low priority -- to get rid of it and spend the money on behalf of all of Americans I had constituents in this office in fact.

We've canceled I think it's sixteen to -- we have to call cans and and say.

I'm sorry the tour that you have planned to take -- the White House for the last three months is no longer available.

This week we -- constituents in the office who had young boys with them their kids.

And for three months they've been planning to come to Washington DC to show their kids the White House and he had to say I'm sorry we can't let you can't make that the White House won't let you win.

These are good.

Get rid of the Easter egg roll if that's -- that you could spend the money on letting Americans and I see the White House says they're now going to try to find a way to get young people in but.

That kids I'm all for that but what about that ninety year old World War II veteran who happens to be in Washington DC has never seen the White House that that that out of the people's.

All your break as far as using your editor and added a -- colleagues that had some great is that lines you and maybe some children that -- to go to the Easter egg roll this year but we'll see if they continue to have -- -- right now it's on and and you just over the question about whether or not it I think of the great question it makes no sense to me that's silly that's senator it's nice to have you back on the program thank you for the time.

-- -- thank you.

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