Asa Hutchinson: “I believe parents should have the right to decide. They are better arbiters, they are better decisionmakers on the use…”

“I believe parents should have the right to decide. They are better arbiters, they are better decisionmakers on the use of that money than bureaucrats and even lawmakers in Washington, DC. And no matter how good educational savings for teenagers may be, it is better to let the parents make that decision. I think I will have a hard time explaining to those parents of that 13-year-old why, when their child was 12 he was eligible or she was eligible for the $500 per child tax credit, but at the age of 13 they are not. Perhaps that 13-year-old will have an emergency. Perhaps that 13-year-old needs braces. Perhaps that 13-year-old needs a math tutor to enable that child to ensure that he or she is ready to go to college when they graduate from high school. The parents will not have the option, will not have the opportunity, will not have the eligibility under the current bill. That is why this amendment is so important that we ensure that the parents have the ultimate decisionmaking authority.”