Senate Panel Backs OSHA, NIOSH Funding as NSC Highlights Opioid and Heat Hazards
The National Safety Council applauds a Senate appropriations bill that preserves OSHA funding and boosts NIOSH support for FY2026, as lawmakers address critical issues like workplace opioid misuse and heat-related injuries.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Aug 04, 2025
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced a bill that maintains OSHA funding at current levels and increases funding slightly for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in fiscal year 2026.
The bipartisan 26–3 vote sends the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to the full Senate, where it will face further debate. If passed, the bill would shield both agencies from earlier proposed cuts that had raised alarm among safety advocates and researchers.
The legislation’s accompanying committee report also emphasizes growing concerns around workplace hazards, particularly opioid misuse and heat-related injuries. Lawmakers cite National Safety Council (NSC) data showing that while 75 percent of employers have observed opioid-related impacts at work, just 17 percent feel well-equipped to address the issue. The report urges the Department of Labor to develop guidance for employers on providing overdose reversal medications and training in the workplace.
Heat stress receives attention as well, aligning with recent legislative and regulatory pushes to define enforceable workplace protections amid rising temperatures across the U.S.
NIOSH, a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, faced uncertainty earlier this year following a proposed 80 percent funding cut from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In its report, the committee underscored NIOSH’s unique role as the federal government’s primary source of research and recommendations to prevent occupational illness and injury. The bill directs the CDC to preserve and support ongoing work across NIOSH research centers.
The measure now awaits consideration by the full Senate. A corresponding House bill has yet to be scheduled for markup.
For more details on the report or to follow progress on the appropriations process, visit appropriations.senate.gov.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.