Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), incoming chairwoman of the House subcommittee overseeing worker safety is aiming to ensure vigorous OSHA enforcement, block Trump administration rollback of worker safety rules and reduce opioid abuse among construction workers but says boosting the minimum wage is her top priority.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has indefinitely delayed a Feb. 6 hearing to consider the nomination of former FedEx executive Scott Mugno, who the Trump administration first nominated to lead OSHA in 2017, and who faces slim prospects for confirmation given senators’ differences over labor personnel.
The Trump administration has dropped planned rollbacks of Obama-era EPA pesticide rules intended to provide farmworkers with similar protections to workers in industries regulated by OSHA, part of a deal with Democratic senators to win confirmation for the Trump administration’s pick to lead EPA’s toxics office.
The Senate health committee is planning to hold another hearing to consider the nomination of Scott Mugno, the former FedEx executive who the Trump administration first nominated to lead OSHA in 2017, though sources say his prospects for confirmation remain dim as senators remain at odds over labor policy personnel and other issues.
House Democrats have tapped Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC), a key player in Democrats' successful efforts to block a legislative waiver for agriculture retailers from OSHA's process safety management (PSM) standard, to lead the subcommittee that will oversee OSHA and worker safety issues in the 116th Congress.
As the Trump OSHA prepares to promulgate its final rule rolling back Obama-era injury reporting requirements, it is facing a likely lawsuit alleging it violates the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and oversight from House Democrats who charge it undermines worker safety and its approval during the shutdown may have violated federal law.
For the second time since first nominating him, the White House has again renominated former FedEx executive Scott Mugno to lead OSHA, though his prospects for Senate confirmation remain dim due to partisan differences over Labor Department and other Trump administration nominees.
House and Senate lawmakers have agreed to a one-year extension of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) ahead of a looming Jan. 19 deadline when the program's funding will expire, planning to use the next few months to debate potential legislative changes to CFATS.
House Democrats are vying to win seats on the newly renamed Education and Labor Committee, likely delaying a decision on who will lead the workforce protection subcommittee, which oversees OSHA, given the departure of Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), who was previously the panel's ranking member but who is now leading the veterans committee.
Key House and Senate lawmakers are at odds over how to extend the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) chemical facility safety program, raising doubts that lawmakers will act before the program's authorization expires later this month.