Over this summer, federal policy developments have emerged related to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) work, workforce development and employer-sponsored immigration. TCIA’s government-relations team has tracked the following notable actions and events that will shape the policy agenda through the fall.

David Keeling nomination process
On June 5, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a nomination hearing for David Keeling, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA.

Keeling worked at UPS for nearly four decades, starting as a package handler and moving up through several safety-leadership roles until he left to serve as Amazon’s Director of Road and Transportation Safety. His experience in both industry operations and workplace safety underscores his understanding of the necessity of safe workplace practices and aiding businesses in protecting employees in compliance with safety laws. TCIA supports his nomination.

Although Keeling’s nomination was passed out of the committee favorably on June 26, a full floor vote to confirm his position has not yet occurred.

OSHA heat hearings
From June 16 to July 2, OSHA held an informal public hearing to aid in its notice-and-comment rulemaking process for its proposed standard, titled “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings.”

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on August 30, 2024. To briefly summarize, the OSHA-proposed rule would require employers to implement heat-injury-and-illness prevention plans, monitor workplace temperatures, take preventive measures to protect workers from heat-related injury and illness, have emergency- response procedures in place if a worker experiences heat-related injury or illness symptoms and provide training to workers, among other provisions. The standard would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all industries and sectors in which OSHA has jurisdiction.

The hearing allowed interested stakeholders another opportunity to advocate for and against the rule. Broadly speaking, many groups representing employers opposed the rulemaking as it stands, arguing that a more flexible standard would be needed to account for certain occupations, workplace geographies, employee health statuses and more. Conversely, labor unions and other worker advocacy groups called for the proposed rule to be finalized, arguing that the standard would help employers who have multi-state operations.

A post-hearing comment period is open through September 30, 2025, allowing individuals who submitted a Notice of Intention to Appear prior to the hearing to submit additional information relevant to the proceedings. It is unknown whether or when OSHA will issue a final rule after the comment period closes.

Office of Immigration Policy
In late June, Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced the creation of the Office of Immigration Policy (OIP) within the Office of Secretary (OSEC) to streamline immigration-related workstreams within the Department of Labor. The OIP is designed to aid the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) in management of foreign-labor visa programs and assist the execution of the Secretary’s responsibilities to maintain a qualified workforce as mandated by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

As outlined in a released memorandum, OIP’s responsibilities generally cover the creation, management and execution of relevant immigration-related policy and strategies. Specifically, the OIP will “monitor the administration of foreign labor certification activities,” “establish strategic priority and scope for all immigration-related policy and regulatory projects” and “establish strategic management and policy priorities for immigration-related work streams, then provide day-to-day direction and oversight to implement these priorities.”

With respect to employer-sponsored immigration, the OIP will attempt to refine employer paperwork and petition processes for obtaining foreign-labor certification for the H-2 visa and other guest-worker visa programs. By overseeing coordination with and between relevant federal agencies for foreign-labor certification, the OIP aims to improve the efficiency of the guest-worker visa programs.

One Big Beautiful Bill Act
On July 4, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). OBBBA codified several Republican priorities into law, including changes to immigration and energy policy and tax reform, but it also included notable workforce-development provisions, such as the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act and Workforce Pell Grants.

The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act expands the eligible uses of 529 savings plans to cover expenses related to workforce training and credentialing programs. Traditionally, 529 savings plans only covered the attainment of educational or professional credentials, such as college or graduate/professional degrees, apprenticeship programs or education programs at certain accredited institutions, tuition coverage for elementary and secondary schools and certain student-loan repayment programs.

The provision broadens the definition of “qualified education expenses” to allow plans to cover subsidiary costs relevant to obtaining credentials, which include tuition, fees, books, equipment and other expenses incurred when enrolling in or attending a recognized postsecondary credential program; fees for testing; and fees for continued education to maintain or recertify a postsecondary credential.

Additionally, OBBBA expands the federal Pell Grant program to help pay for short-term workforce-development programs. Prior to OBBBA, Pell Grants exclusively covered costs associated with attending college. Under the new law, Workforce Pell Grants can now be used to cover costs for enrolling in eligible programs. Eligible programs must offer between 150 and 600 hours of instruction over the duration of eight to 15 weeks, align with the requirements of a high-skill, high-wage or in-demand industry occupation and lead to a recognized postsecondary credential.

Voluntary Protection Programs hearing
On July 16, 2025, the House Education & Workforce Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing titled “Safe Workplaces, Stronger Partnerships: The Future of OSHA Compliance Assistance.” The hearing addressed issues around the compliance-assistance programs OSHA provides, focusing on OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs) in particular.

During the hearing, Republican committee members praised OSHA’s compliance programs, commending the programs’ effectiveness in creating workplace safety and aiding employers to sustain worker safety. Subcommittee Chair Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) defended the critical role VPPs play in complementing OSHA’s enforcement efforts and the necessity of such programs in encouraging a proactive approach to safety. Similarly, Representative Mark Messmer (R-IN) emphasized the reduced costs created by compliance programs for OSHA and employers.

Democrat committee members recognized the importance of compliance-assistance programs like VPPs, but they criticized the Trump administration’s dismantling of some OSHA health and safety regulations and argued VPPs cannot act as a permanent substitute for OSHA standards.

Conclusion
TCIA will continue to monitor for updates related to the policies and actions discussed here as the federal government continues to take action later in the year.