A Republican-controlled House committee passed legislation earlier this week that would
prevent the US Labor Department from enacting federal standards to protect workers from extreme heat
-- a move that came amid sweltering heat across the country.
The Heat Workforce Standards Act,
led by Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Ind.),
passed the House Education and Workforce Committee on Tuesday in a 18-15 vote along party lines.
If enacted, the legislation would bar the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from implementing nationwide heat protections for workers
—including those proposed by the Biden administration in 2024.
The Biden Labor Department estimated that its proposed rules would protect around 36 million workers.
Trump’s Labor Department has done nothing to move forward with the Biden-era proposal.
