AIRS: Weeknights 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

In the Crossfire

Pot rap and Pell Grants -- do they mix?

(CNN) -- U.S. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, D.C.) and U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colorado) discuss a burning issue with hosts Paul Begala and Robert Novak -- federal Pell Grants and pot smokers. The Pell Grant is awarded to undergraduates for college expenses and unlike a federal loan, does not have to be paid back.

BEGALA: Explain to these college students here why, if they are convicted of rape or murder, they can still get college loans -- but if they smoke pot, they can't? What's the rationale behind that?

SCHAFFER: That's a little bit of an exaggeration.

BEGALA: Exactly what the law says.

SCHAFFER: Well, I doubt you're going to find too many Americans or universities who are eager to admit those who put on their resume, or are known to be rapists or murderers. You're not going to find too many of them going to college.

But secondly, the fact is one of scarcity. Now listen, these grants are not entitlements. They're not rights. They are, in fact, gifts from some Americans to other Americans. And it's a very nice thing we're able to do.

But if we were able to give these gifts to all Americans who want to go to college, then I would say this is really not an issue.

BEGALA: But -- I wouldn't just hand all the money away to the rich friends in tax cuts.

SCHAFFER: It's a matter of scarcity. And we only have so many grants to hand out. Now what is wrong with a policy that suggests we're going to give these grants to Americans who have managed to abide by the law?

NOVAK: Go ahead.

NORTON: Well, this is in an irrational way to deal with scarcity. You can be high for four years if your momma and your daddy can afford to pay your tuition and keep you at Yale or GW. But if you are a kid who must have the Pell Grant, who's made a mistake, and that's when kids make mistakes, when they're young, you've got what may keep you from going to college ever.

NOVAK: I tell you what bothers...

SCHAFFER: What you want are other Americans to pay for the kid who broke the law.

NOVAK: I tell you what bothers me about this -- what Yale and these other funny colleges are doing. And it is -- this is nullification. If you don't -- I think it's a good law. I agree with Congressman Schaffer. But if you don't like the law, repeal it. That's what you do. I thought we had decided a long time ago that nullification by juries or by states is not a good process.