Amendment Passed to Delay Silica Rule

Words: Dan KamysIn late-June, the Senate Appropriations Committee considered the FY16 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill and passed the bill out of Committee and to the full Senate for consideration. The MCAA is pleased to report that during consideration of the bill, Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) offered an amendment to delay the proposed silica exposure rule being pursued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This amendment was passed by Committee and is now a part of the legislation that moves to the Senate for consideration. Specifically the Sen. Hoeven amendment would not allow OSHA to finalize the regulation until such time that:
  1. a new Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, or SBREFA Panel review is conducted and a report delivered to OSHA; and
  2. an independent study is delivered to the Appropriations Committee and the HELP Committee examining:
1. OSHA’s epidemiological justification for its proposed reduction of the current OSHA exposure limits, including the prevalence or lack of disease and mortality associated with the current OSHA exposure limits, 2. the ability of laboratories to measure, with accuracy and precision that meet the “NIOSH Accuracy Criterion,” exposures generally below the current OSHA exposure limits and specifically at the proposed OSHA exposure limit and proposed action level, 3. the ability of various types of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect employees, 4. the steady decline in silicosis related mortality rates based on data maintained by the Centers for Disease Control; and 5. the costs of the different types of PPE compared with the costs of engineering and work practice controls. While we are celebrating this huge victory in the Senate, our work is far from over. Unfortunately, this language was not included in the underlying House version of the FY16 Labor-HHS-Education bill. We need you to call your Representative and ask him or her to contact Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), urging him to include the Hoeven language in the final version of the corresponding House bill.
Masonry Restoration: Why Walls Fail and How We Fix Them
February 2026

Masonry doesn’t crack. Old brick never has issues. Every masonry wall lasts 100 years or more… right? If only that were true. Masonry is one of the most durable building materials ever used, but like all construction, it responds to time, movement, mo

MAP Partner
Read More
MCAA President Jeff Buczkiewicz Testifies To Congress On AI In Masonry
February 2026

On February 11, 2026, Jeff Buczkiewicz, President and CEO of the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), testified before the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. He spoke during a hearing titled “Building an AI-Ready America: Safer Workp

Legislative
Read More
Safe Driving, Safe Job: A Masonry Crew's Guide to Vehicle Safety
February 2026

Every day, we load up our trucks and head out to the next job. Our vehicles are more than just a ride; they're our mobile workshops, carrying the tools and materials we need to build our proj

Mason Hill
Safety Library
Read More
MCAA President and CEO Jeff Buczkiewicz To Testify To Congress On AI
February 2026

On February 11, 2026, Jeff Buczkiewicz, President and CEO of the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA), will testify before the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Representing a $41 billion industry, Buczkiewicz plans to showcase GEORG

Legislative
Read More