The biggest controversy in Washington D.C., right now is without a doubt the budget that President Obama has proposed for the next fiscal year. It is nearly impossible to keep up with who approves or disapproves because there are so many differing opinions.

His $3.7 trillion budget for 2012 includes program cuts to decrease our nation’s deficits by $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years. The process to approve this budget is extensive. It will involve at least 40 congressional committees, 24 subcommittees, and numerous hearings and votes. The fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, which means that the budget needs to be passed by Sept. 31.

The budget for the current year was never passed by Congress. The government is using a “continuing resolution” which is a type of legislation that funds government agencies if the formal bill is not signed into law by the end of the fiscal year. This continuing resolution expires on March 4.

Operating under continuing resolution hinders the budget of many departments, including the department of defense. A standoff between the president and Congress can lead to the shutdown of the federal government, which happened back in 1995 with President Clinton. Obama does not want to see a continuing resolution for the upcoming fiscal year and has said he will veto if it appears.

Students normally do not pay attention to news about the federal budget, but many of the changes will directly affect college students. The budget proposes cutting $100 billion dollars from the Pell grant program and other higher education programs. The proposal says that students will still collect the current maximum award of $5,500 per academic year.

It will affect the program by only allowing students to receive one grant per year. Currently, students can receive two grants, one during the regular academic year and one in the summer term. Cuts from other higher education programs and the summer Pell grant will allow the government to sustain the Pell grant program at $5,500 during the academic year. The measure by the Republican Party would reduce the maximum award by $845 per academic year.

The budget also creates a new, more competitive grant program named the College Completion Incentive Grants Program. It would have numerous functions; the most notable role is that would award performance-based funding for universities. We believe students need to pay attention, because what ultimately gets passed will directly affect them.

According to the White House website, the intent of the budget is to “invest in our future – by cutting wasteful spending and making tough choices on some things we cannot afford, while keeping the investments we need to grow the economy and create jobs.”

An example of a cut that Obama has proposed is the budget for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has been decreased to $118 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. The withdrawal of troops from Iraq is the reason for the $41 billion decrease. There is an almost endless amount of information on where the budget is increasing or decreasing in the news.

The Republicans aren’t the only ones speaking out against the budget cuts. Democrats are upset about the cut of summer Pell grants and a cut in community block grants that help low income citizens pay their winter heat bills. Obama has defended this cut by saying that energy prices have since gone down.

Republicans are most concerned about the record high $3.7 trillion budget and are working on a resolution that would cut it down by at least $100 billion. According to many experts, independents may be the only people satisfied with the new budget. John Avlon, a CNN contributor said, "Independent voters believe if the far right and the far left are both upset, it's usually a sign that someone's doing something right."

Unfortunately for Obama, a politician can never make all of the right choices and satisfy everyone. Obama does not have an easy job; he is attempting to do what he believes is best for our country. He is working tirelessly, striving to get our country out of debt.

We can only hope that Congress will pass the budget so that we do not have to operate under continuing resolution for another year, affecting our country in a negative way.

Should we have to pick sides when our country’s future is at risk? We would accomplish more if Republicans and Democrats could unite and compromise.