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H.R. 190: Protecting America's Workers Act

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H.R. 190: Protecting America's Workers Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-01-05 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-01-05 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting America's Workers Act

Plain summary

Protecting America's Workers Act - Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) to expand its coverage to federal, state, and local government employees. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, under specified conditions, to cede OSHA jurisdiction to another federal agency with respect to certain occupational standards or regulations for such agency's employees. Declares OSHA inapplicable to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Heath Act of 1977. Increases protections for whistle blowers under OSHA. Prescribes requirements relating to: (1) the posting of employee rights, (2) employer reporting of employee work-related deaths or hospitalizations, (3) a prohibition against employers adopting or implementing policies or practices that discourage or discriminate against employee reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses, (4) a prohibition against the loss of wages or employee benefits due to an employee participating in a workplace inspection, (5) investigations of incidents resulting in death or the hospitalization of two or more employees which occur in a place of employment, and (6) a prohibition against the issuing, modifying, or settling of unclassified citations for occupational health and safety standard violations. Continues requirements relating to: (1) the rights of an employee (including a former employee or family member in lieu of an employee) who has sustained a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection or investigation; (2) an employer's right to contest citations and penalties; and (3) periods permitted for an employer to correct serious, willful, or repeated violations pending an employer's contest to a citation and procedures for stays of the time period for abatement of those violations. Increases civil and criminal penalties for certain OSHA violators. States that pre-final order interest on any penalties owed shall begin to accrue on the date a party contests a citation, at an interest rate calculated at the current underpayment rate. Prescribes requirements for the Secretary's evaluation of state occupational safety and health plans as well as workplace health hazard evaluations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Requires a state that has an approved plan for the development and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards to amend its plan to conform to the requirements of this Act within 12 months after enactment of this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting America's Workers Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6] · 49 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Judy Chu (D-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Al Green (D-TX), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Betty McCollum (D-MN), James P. McGovern (D-MA), André Carson (D-IN)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Jurisdiction
The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr190 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112