There has been much talk of late about the future of the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced lease terminations on 18 OSHA area offices, and Republican Congressman Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced the Nullify the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act (NOSHA Act), which sought to abolish OSHA, as Biggs felt safety and health issues were better handled by states and private employers.
The future of OSHA now seems more secure, as on July 31, 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced the FY 2026 appropriations bill (S. 2587) with a 26-3 vote. The Committee recommended the full $632,309,000 in funding, maintaining the funding levels of FY 2025, and demonstrated Congress is committed to improving safety and health through continued enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Having been advanced by the Senate, the appropriations bill must now head to the House for a vote, which is expected to take place in September 2025.
The appropriations bill continues to use language that allows OSHA to retain course tuition and fees for training institute courses used for occupational safety and health training and education activities in the private sector. Exemptions from OSHA regulations remain for small farming operations and employers with fewer than 10 employees in industry classifications with a lost workday injury rate less than the national average. They will continue to be exempted from general schedule safety inspections.
The bill requires OSHA to allocate no less than $3.5 million to the administration of its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), which encourages private industry and federal agencies to take proactive steps to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. If they maintain accident and injury rates below the national average in their sector, they are exempt from OSHA programmed inspections.
There is growing concern about workplace violence in the healthcare and public health sector, where incidents of workplace violence are six times higher than in all other industries. While the appropriations bill does not call for funding specifically to address the problem, the Committee has urged OSHA to explore steps the agency can take to ensure that healthcare and social services workers are protected from workplace violence. The Committee has requested a briefing within 180 days of enactment of the appropriations bill on the steps that have been taken to improve protections for healthcare workers.
OSHA enforces OSH Act compliance at the federal level; however, 22 states have OSHA-approved occupational safety and health plans, and five states have plans that only cover public sector employees. Those states must ensure that their safety and health programs are at least as effective as federal programs. The FY 2026 appropriations bill earmarks $120 million in grants for states to ensure that remains the case.
The advancement of the bill will provide some security to OSHA, and shows that Congress is committed to improving workplace safety and health through education, enforcement, and addressing workplace hazards and risks.
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