House appropriations package includes OSHA budget increase

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a package of fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills, including a budget increase of more than $100 million for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The package — passed on a 226-203 vote — consists of four bills to fund the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State and Energy from Oct. 1, 2019, to Sept. 30, 2020.

The package includes $661 million for OSHA — an increase of $103 million above the 2019 enacted level and the president’s budget request, according to a bill summary.

The bill also increases funding for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health by $10 million to $346 million.

The House adopted an amendment to the appropriations package introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., that prohibits OSHA from using funds appropriated in the bill to finalize or implement a proposed rule to “weaken health protections” in OSHA’s existing beryllium standards that cover construction and maritime workers on a 241-181 vote.

The full U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has not scheduled a hearing on this set of appropriations, according to its website.