The stage is set for the House of Representatives and the Senate to reconcile their differences over the among of money OSHA and NIOSH will have to work with in fiscal year 2026.

A House appropriations subcommittee in the first week of September proposed to cut OSHA’s FY26 budget by 8% and NIOSH’s budget by 14 percent. Earlier the Senate proposed to keep both OSHA and NIOSH funding at FY2025 levels. Both versions ease up dramatically on the 80 percent budget bludgeoning proposed by the Trump administration for NIOSH. The administration also proposed an 8 percent cut to OSHA’s budget.   

OSHA’s FY26 budget proposed by the House and the administration would total $582.4 million. The Senate is allocating $632.2 million for OSHA. The difference of some $50 million will be reconciled in negotiations.

NIOSH’s FY26 budget proposed by the House totals $312 million. The Senate is allocating $362 million. Again, there is about a $50 million difference to be worked out. The administration requested only $72.2 million for NIOSH funding next year.

It’s questionable if OSHA and NIOSH funding for FY26 will be finalized any time soon. Fiscal year 2026 starts October 1, but the budget process has been tumultuous in Congress and to avoid a government shutdown a continuing resolution may keep funding at FY25 levels for an indeterminate period of time.