It’s a subject that never seems to go away. Just when Congress has succeeded in finalizing the FY14 federal budget, the FY15 budget is ready to push its way onto the agenda and demand attention. How quickly will it get it?

Get out of town

“Congress must begin discussion on the FY15 budget as soon as possible in order to avoid any huge debates just prior to the mid-term November elections,” said Aaron K. Trippler, Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).  “I can assure you, Congress wants to ‘get out of town’ and go home and campaign without any huge issues remaining on the table.”

Trippler predicted that Congress will get its first look at President Obama’s FY15 budget proposal within the next two weeks.

Dead on arrival

“But don’t get too excited, as this proposal will undoubtedly be ‘dead on arrival’ on the Hill,” he said.

In terms of what the FY15 proposal might hold in store for occupational safety and health agencies, Trippler said to expect another attempt to cut funding for the Education Research Centers and perhaps flat-line funding for agencies such as OSHA and NIOSH. 

“We will know soon enough.”

Click here for more information from the AIHA Federal Government Affairs Center.