Kent State University’s ROTC program provides students with an opportunity to attend college on a full-ride scholarship, and in turn they provide service to their country after college. One bill, that is sure to be the source of a number of major debates in the upcoming local and Presidential elections, may also affect those scholarships. The Budget Protection Plan is a bill that will cut 10% of funding to all sorts of different government departments, one of those departments would be the Defense Department. Cuts to the Defense Department budget could cause cuts to Kent State’s ROTC program, including the loss of scholarships, and cuts in the staffing of the ROTC department.

The bill has been publicly supported by President Obama, and in turn the Republicans have torn down the bill, making it a target of their attacks on the President during the Republican National Campaign.

Congressman Tim Ryan (D) from Ohio’s fourteenth district held a press conference last week to address this budgets pending results in hopes to help his parties cause, but he also discussed how it would impact Kent State if passed. Ryan said, “It will affect Kent State, because their are cuts abroad, and cuts domestically.” Those domestic cuts could directly impact Kent State’s ability to provide ROTC scholarships and staff the ROTC department.

For more on how the Budget Protection Plan could affect Kent State and the Presidential Election, watch below.

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