Missouri House panel creates new education fund to help Missouri student soldiers

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Intro:	Some Missouri House members say they want to create a new education fund for the Missouri National Guard that was stripped away by recent federal budget cuts.
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Wrap: The Federal Department of Defense has announced all federal tuition assistance would be suspended starting this month.

Representative Rick Stream of Kirkwood says nearly 1,400 members of the Missouri National guard are affected by the suspension of the federal assistance tuition.

Stream says these student soldiers need this educational funding.

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Description: "For many of them who sacrifice so much to serve our state and country, this is the only way for them to complete a college education."

Stream's Budget Committee sent a budget earlier this week to the House floor and added in an mega amendment worth 3.7 million dollars. A chunk of that would go to veteran's education.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Luke Lyddon.

Intro:	Some Missouri House members are pushing create an tuition fund that would help Missouri National Guard members continue their education.
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Wrap: Representative Jeff Grisamore of Lee's Summit says this education fund will help these student soldiers finish their college career despite the recent federal budget cuts.

Grisamore says it is important to continue to support these soldiers in able to further their higher education.

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Description: "We just believe that we need to keep our promises and our commitments to our men and women in uniform and the Missouri Army National Guard and do whatever it takes to make sure we can maintain those current funding levels for tuition assistance."

Stream's Budget Committee has voted to take chunks of money from colleges and its roads to pay for the National Guard Education program.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Luke Lyddon.

Intro:	Certain Missouri House members are setting aside money to help National Guard members to finish their college education.
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Wrap: Representative Jeff Grisamore of Lee's Summit says he will find ways to continue tuition assistance funding after the federal government ended it due to recent budget cuts.

Grisamore says the loss of federal tuition assistance has made it more of a struggle for student soldiers to complete their higher education.

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Description: "the unanticipated loss of federal funding for tuition assistance and the federal portion due to sequestration, creates an incredible hardship for our student soldiers and airmen in the Missouri National Guard."

The House Budget Committee has already moved 1.5 million dollars to the tuition program in the state budget and wants to add 4.5 million dollars more.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Luke Lyddon.