Image Credit: Getty Images / Dmitry Vinogradov

Another congressional appropriations season is upon us, and the Fiscal Year 2025 debate is shaping up to be a vigorous one, much like last year's. The roles are reversed, however: this year, the House of Representatives has passed most of its appropriations bills quickly, in sharp contrast to last year when the process was fraught with disagreement that prevented many bills from getting to the floor for a long time. The Senate, which was the quicker of the two chambers last year, is now taking its time to pass appropriations bills.

Currently, the only bills available for review are the House appropriations bills, which enact the following budget changes to OEHS-relevant agencies and programs:

• Department of Labor: President Biden requested a 4.3 percent budget increase, while the House proposed a 23 percent cut.
• OSHA: The president requested a 3.6 percent increase; the House proposed an 11.8 percent cut.
• NIOSH: The president requested a 0.2 percent budget increase; the House has proposed a 27.4 percent cut, which is by far the largest percentage cut for all our priority agencies and departments.
• Department of Education: The president requested a 4.1 percent increase; the House proposed a 13 percent cut.
• EPA: The president requested a 16.7 percent increase, and the House passed a 20 percent cut.

As we wait for the Senate proposals, AIHA Government Relations understands that such steep cuts to priority agencies and departments seriously disrupt the progress we have made with them. As we discussed last year during the 2024 appropriations season, steep reductions in funding like these would likely lead to staffing cuts, stalled research projects, and less enforcement of existing worker health and safety regulations.

We are optimistic that the Senate will keep these impacts in mind while drafting its proposals. We eagerly await their release so we can review them in detail and share them with you. However, the process has a long way to go. Once the Senate proposals are passed, the chambers will meet to reconcile the two bills. This compromise bill will go to the president for signing. We are a long way from that, and an agreement is not certain, which would likely necessitate a continuing resolution, or CR, that extends Fiscal Year 2024 funding levels until an agreement is made.

During this critical time, we ask that you keep an eye on the AIHA Grassroots Advocacy Center. Once we have more information on the Senate proposals, we will use the Advocacy Center to send action alerts informing you of opportunities to share your thoughts on the importance of OEHS agencies and departments with elected officials. If you haven't already, please visit the advocacy page and sign up for alerts.

While there will always be disagreements in Congress, it is essential for us to come together and tell our elected officials how important these agencies are to the health and safety of millions of Americans. Strong voices like yours are what defend and reward the work of these important agencies. For every message you send and all the work you do in your roles as OEHS professionals, we are thankful, and so are workers and their families.

We will continue to keep watch on this important process. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.