A plan being considered in the Missouri House aims to use state funds to help members of the state National Guard who would lose their federal tuition assistance as a result of automatic federal spending cuts.
The House Budget Committee has included a $1.5 million increase in tuition assistance in its budget recommendations for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The money would help the 905 Missouri Army National Guardsman who are currently using federal tuition aid, but who would not be able to continue because of the federal budget cuts. Committee Chairman Rep. Rick Stream, of Kirkwood, says he hopes the federal government will rethink its decision.
The U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Coast Guard have suspended their assistance programs due to the automatic budget cuts.