Cotton Dust was first regulated in the United States in 1969 under the amended Walsh-Healey Act that covered government contractors. This 1000 µg/ml standard (29 CFR 1910.1000, Table Z-1) which came from the 1968 ACGIH list of TLV's, was adopted as the national standard in 1971 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In 1978, OSHA issued two new cotton dust standards: one for ginning (1910.1046) and one for general industry (1910.1043), covering all other sectors of cotton handling and processing except harvesting, the handling and processing of woven and knitted fabrics, washed cotton, and maritime operations. Court and administrative actions have invalidated the new standard or stayed its enforcement, essentially for all sectors except textile manufacturing and weaving. Most industries not covered by the new standard are still covered by the old 1000 ug/m³ standard. In 1981 and 1982, OSHA started reevaluating the cotton dust standards. In June 1983, OSHA proposed a revised standard. OSHA's new rulemaking on cotton dust and cotton dust regulations in the U.S. will be discussed.