20 Jul 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2026
Contact: Tochtli Garcia | tgarcia@nationalcosh.org | +1 917 804 8581
Action Alert: Congress Is Attempting to Permanently Block a Federal Heat Standard. Workers Need Us to Act.
Sign the coalition letter by Monday, July 20, at 12pm E.T.
As workers across the country organize for life saving protections from extreme heat, Congress is considering legislation that would permanently prevent OSHA from establishing a federal heat standard.
On Tuesday July 21, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce is expected to mark up H.R. 6213, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, which would prohibit OSHA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a federal Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Standard.
This is not simply a delay in rulemaking. It is an attempt to permanently eliminate OSHA's authority to issue a nationwide heat standard.
At National COSH, we have seen firsthand why these protections matter. Through our Fired Up! Workers for Heat Justice campaign, workers have shared their stories, organized in their communities, and demanded basic protections such as access to water, rest, shade, training, and emergency planning. No worker should have to choose between earning a paycheck and risking their life.
As extreme heat becomes more frequent and more dangerous, Congress should be strengthening worker protections, not blocking them.
OSHA's proposed heat standard is the result of years of scientific research, worker testimony, stakeholder engagement, and more than 43,000 public comments. It would help protect an estimated 36 million workers across the country while giving employers flexibility to implement heat illness prevention programs that fit their workplaces.
Take Action
National COSH proudly joins Public Citizen and organizations across the country in opposing H.R. 6213. We urge our network and partners to:
- Sign on to the coalition letter opposing H.R. 6213 by Monday, July 20, at 12:00 p.m. ET. SIGN ON HERE!
- Share this action with your networks.
- Access our Fired Up! Heat Organizing Toolkit for resources to support your heat campaigns and collective actions
- Join National COSH's Fired Up! campaign August 10-16 for a unified national week of action for worker heat safety!
Workers have fought too hard and too many lives have been lost for Congress to permanently block federal heat protections. Stand with workers. Oppose H.R. 6213.
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