U.S. Midterms: New Faces, Old Fault Lines for Chemical and Workplace Safety Policy 

For the first time this term, the Trump administration faces an unfriendly Congress, one more inclined to question its regulatory decisions than to applaud them.

Democrats won control of both chambers in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, which means that the leadership of key committees that oversee regulatory bodies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is about to change hands. This could put the brakes on the White House's deregulatory agenda. Committee and subcommittee chairs set hearing agendas, decide which bills to consider, and direct oversight of agencies, giving them considerable influence over which regulatory decisions face scrutiny and which proposed changes to the law advance.

Nevertheless, industry representatives are already setting out their ambitions, with some sounding an optimistic note.

“The next Congress has an opportunity to strengthen American manufacturing, and specialty chemical manufacturers are ready to be part of that effort,” Jenn Pieper-Klein, president and CEO of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA), told 3E.

The American Chemistry Council also weighed in. “The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and our member companies congratulate the newly elected members of Congress and look forward to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advance policies that strengthen American manufacturing, drive innovation, and support a more affordable and prosperous future for all Americans,” said the ACC in a statement sent to 3E.

While committee leadership selection, as of November 4, 2026, has not even formally begun, these five results may provide insight into the next two years of chemical regulation.

1. Pallone and Tonko Return as House Chemical Policy Changes Hands

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), ranking member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, won reelection, positioning him to claim its chairmanship. Current Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) also retained his seat. At the Subcommittee on Environment, both Chair Gary Palmer (R-AL) and Ranking Member Paul Tonko (D-NY) won another term.

The anticipated transfer of authority to Democrats affects almost all of the chemical industry's federal obligations. The Environment Subcommittee controls enforcement of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); the Clean Air Act (CAA); and the Clean Water Act (CWA). Its hearings and legislative priorities will shape the debate around the chemical life cycle, from sourcing and production to use and disposal.

SOCMA identified TSCA reform as a key priority for the incoming Congress, - particularly greater efficiency, transparency, and predictability in chemical reviews - while maintaining protections for human health and the environment.

“Our priorities remain clear: a predictable, science-based regulatory environment, resilient domestic supply chains, and a skilled American workforce,” Pieper-Klein said.

But a new majority will face old legislative obstacles. James Aidala, senior government affairs consultant at Bergeson & Campbell, P.C., told 3E that substantive TSCA changes needed bipartisan consensus under Republican control and would continue to need it under Democrats.

“There may be a small - non-controversial - reauthorization of the TSCA fee provisions,” he said. The chances of more substantial amendments, in his assessment, are dim unless their advocates build broader agreement.

2. Capito Keeps Her Seat, but Democrats Gain the Senate Environmental Agenda

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, won reelection. She will remain a significant Republican voice on environmental legislation, but the chair will likely fall to the ranking member, outspoken liberal Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), who was not up for reelection this year. Capito and Whitehouse have already sparred over TSCA fee reauthorization and broader changes to the statute.

Aidala cautioned against assuming that chemical legislation will command the new majority's attention. TSCA oversight could feature in the Democratic agenda, he said, but would likely compete with climate policy, EPA staffing and budgets, and energy policy. Litigation over TSCA's definitions and implementation could create interest in legislative fixes, although those efforts would also require bipartisan support.

PFAS could offer a less predictable opening. Aidala pointed to the possibility that Republican supporters of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, such as Environment and Public Works member Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), might take up chemical exposure concerns, complicating conventional partisan alignments.

“Concerns about PFAS could see support for regulation or legislation by both parties, even if for different reasons,” he said.

3. Mackenzie's Defeat Removes a Workplace Safety Subcommittee Chair

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), chair of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee, lost his seat to Democratic challenger Bob Brooks. A former firefighter and president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, Brooks defeated the first-term Republican in a district Mackenzie had himself flipped in 2024.

For employers following OSHA, this represents a significant change in congressional leadership. The subcommittee's jurisdiction includes occupational safety and health, making it a principal forum for examining workplace exposure standards and enforcement. Brooks will not automatically inherit Mackenzie's assignment or chairmanship.

Ranking Member Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) won reelection, which means the gavel will likely go to her. She has recently criticized the Trump administration over respiratory protection, safety agency staffing, and efforts to protect workers from extreme heat. These issues could receive greater attention under her chairmanship.

4. Scott and Walberg Return, With a Sharper OSHA Debate Ahead

On the House Education and Workforce Committee, Republican Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Democratic Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) both won reelection. Scott is positioned to reclaim the chairmanship as Democrats take the majority.

Micah Dickie, a workplace safety partner at Fisher Phillips, expects the transition to bring a marked change in the committee's relationship with OSHA. He characterized its posture under Walberg as deregulatory and largely deferential to the administration, including support for legislation to block the proposed heat illness standard.

“With Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) positioned to reclaim the gavel, we expect much more aggressive use of the committee's oversight and investigative authority to scrutinize the past two years of rollbacks,” Dickie told 3E.

That scrutiny could reach the agency's daily operations as well as its rulemaking. Dickie expects pressure on inspection numbers, staffing, and enforcement priorities, with hearings requiring officials to defend their approach to respiratory protection, the general duty clause, and heat illness prevention.

5. Lofgren Returns With Greater Prospects for EPA Science Oversight

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, won reelection, as did Republican Chair Brian Babin (R-TX). The two likely will swap positions.

This committee's relevance to chemical manufacturers lies in the research and institutional capacity behind regulatory decisions. Lofgren, as ranking member, has challenged the EPA over its research reorganization, scientific independence, and responses to congressional requests for information.

“EPA's non-responsiveness to committee oversight during the 119th Congress has been unacceptable,” she wrote in an indignant October 2026 letter, demanding agency records.

Under her leadership, those unanswered requests could become the foundation for more forceful investigations. Such inquiries could call into question whether the EPA has the scientists, resources, and independence to carry out the responsibilities that existing law already assigns it.