White House Again Pushes Plan To Zero Out NIOSH ERC, AFF Programs, But Changes Rationale

White House officials are again proposing to shutter two NIOSH programs -- Education and Research Centers (ERCs) and the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) Program -- but with a slight change in their rationale since first pushing the plan last year. Worker safety and health advocates are expressing dismay that the administration continues to press the idea, which they fought for the better part of last year. Funding for the two programs was preserved in last-minute deal on securing government appropriations for the remainder of fiscal 2012 (see related story). In its early budget plan l