Margaret Poydock and Christina Ayon at People’s World report that in early June, the Republican majority on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a 2027 budget that slashes funding for Worker Protection Agencies. The Bill includes a combined $71.9 million cut for the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Further, the measure implements a 3% cut to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). While the legislation slightly increases funding for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that the Trump Administration has weaponized for political reasons, the amount overall remains insufficient. The appropriations measure now moves to the Senate, where the budget cuts face an uncertain future. If enacted, these reductions would further strain these Agencies that have faced over a decade of flat funding that hasn’t accounted for inflation or rising labor force participation. This chronic underfunding has severely impacted their ability to enforce Worker Protection Laws. The Department of Labor serves the Nation’s Workers by administering and enforcing most Federal Worker Protection Laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Within this framework, WHD ensures Workers receive wages earned while OHSA evaluates safe workplace conditions and standards. Moreover, independent Agencies such as the EEOC enforce a range of Anti-Discrimination Laws while the NLRB enforces Private-Sector Labor Law, including Workers’ Rights to a Union and collective bargaining. Together, these Government Agencies are designed to equip Workers with the tools to combat workplace abuses and rectify unequal bargaining power. However, Enforcement Agencies are unable to fulfill their mandates with reduced staffing and resources.

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