July 7, 2025 • View in browser

NLBMDA Weekly is our newsletter covering everything from the latest activity in Washington to updates from our members. This is the premier source of federal legislative, regulatory, and industry news for NLBMDA members.

President Trump Signs Signature Domestic Policy Bill into Law; Includes Several Legislative Victories

On Thursday July 3rd, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-214 to pass H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Congress’s sweeping tax reform and spending cuts package that is slated to define the legacy of the 119th Congress and the second Trump Administration’s domestic policy agenda. The legislation became public law on Independence Day at a White House signing ceremony. Prior to final passage, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivered a record-setting 8-hour 44-minute floor speech speaking in opposition to the legislation that divided Congress and public opinion. 

H.R. 1 includes several key victories that NLBMDA and its members successfully secured during the legislative drafting process. The legislation strengthens and makes permanent many expiring tax provisions, including measures from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Read more about the tax bill here.

With the tax bill now behind them, lawmakers are shifting focus to a $9 billion recession package, which must be passed by July 18 to meet a statutory deadline. The package would rescind previously obligated funds from various agencies, including USAID, as well as funding allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In parallel, lawmakers are working to finalize FY26 appropriations, with current government funding set to expire on September 30th.

White House Announces Extension of Tariff Pause, New Trade Agreements Expected This Week

Over the weekend, the White House indicated it is likely to extend the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, currently set to expire this Wednesday. First announced in April, the pause was implemented to allow the U.S. time to negotiate long-term trade deals with its largest trading partners. During this period, a blanket 10% tariff has been applied to nearly all goods entering through U.S. ports of entry. To date, the United States has finalized agreements with the United Kingdom and Vietnam, its 8th and 10th largest trading partners, respectively.

President Trump announced that the U.S. will begin sending formal letters to trading partners today, warning that reciprocal tariffs will be reinstated on August 1 if no agreement is reached within the next three weeks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that these letters will outline the specific tariff rates that would apply to each country’s goods absent a deal. As of the publication of NLBMDA Weekly, letters have been sent to South Korea and Japan. According to those letters, South Korea and Japan would have a 25% tariff levied against their exports to U.S. ports if a trade agreement is not reached.

Earlier today White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the President would sign an executive order formally delaying the Wednesday tariff deadline to Friday, August 1st. Late Sunday, President Trump also threatened an additional 10% tariff on BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) following a joint statement from the group criticizing the administration’s tariff strategy. NLBMDA will continue to monitor developments and keep members informed, as the trade landscape is expected to shift frequently throughout the week.

Interested in Hosting Your Member of Congress?

NLBMDA strongly encourages you to host an elected official for a tour of your business during the upcoming August Recess. The congressional recess in August provides House and Senate lawmakers up to six weeks back in their states and districts to interact with their constituents and visit local businesses. This state/district work period is a great opportunity for NLBMDA members to host a member of Congress for a lumber yard tour that showcases your company and highlights the integral role LBM dealers play in their communities. Together, we can create a powerful dialogue that paves the way for positive change, both locally and nationally.

NLBMDA staff will support you by organizing and facilitating the event, and by providing the tools you need to engage your elected officials during a yard tour. This includes direct assistance with scheduling a tour, background information and issue briefs on NLBMDA’s legislative priorities, and guidance on hosting a successful event. Members of Congress are particularly keen to tour constituent businesses during the August recess and we encourage you to take advantage of their upcoming schedule.

Congressional Recess 2025 Dates:

• U.S. House of Representatives: July 28^th – September 1^st
• U.S. Senate: August 4^th – September 1^st

If you are interested in hosting your members of Congress at your lumber yard, please fill out the form below:

Learn How Technology is Transforming the Next-Gen of the Industry at the 2025 ProDealer Industry Summit!

Technology is reshaping every corner of the LBM industry—and experienced leaders are at the forefront of that change. This session explores how top executives are leveraging digital tools, automation, and data to drive efficiency, improve customer connections, and fuel strategic growth. Hear real-world examples of what’s working, what’s next, and how to stay ahead in an industry that's evolving faster than ever.

Cargo thefts at all-time high

May 2025 New Residential Sales

A report by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. states that in May 2025, sales of new single-family homes fell sharply to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 623,000—a 13.7% decline from April and 6.3% below the May 2024 rate. Meanwhile, the inventory of new homes for sale rose to 507,000, representing a 9.8-month supply—an 18.1% increase from the prior month and 15.3% above a year earlier.

Despite the sales slowdown, prices edged higher. The median sales price in May reached $426,600, up 3.7% from April and 3.0% from May 2024. The average sales price also rose to $522,200, showing modest gains month-over-month and year-over-year.

Elevated Rates, Challenging Affordability Conditions Put a Damper on New Home Sales

In May 2025, sales of newly built single-family homes dropped 13.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 623,000—the slowest pace since October 2024—largely due to elevated mortgage rates averaging 6.83% and ongoing economic uncertainty. Affordability issues continue to sideline buyers, especially in the South, where sales declined 21%. Despite sales incentives like price cuts from 37% of builders, overall new home sales are down 3.2% year-to-date. Rising inventories and an elevated 9.8 months’ supply of new homes are prompting builders to scale back future construction.

National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) data shows total single-family inventory, including both new and resale homes, is at its highest sales-adjusted level since 2015, likely exerting downward pressure on housing starts. In May, 507,000 new homes were on the market, up 1.4% from April and 8.1% from a year earlier. The median sale price rose to $426,600, up from $414,300 last year, with a notable 15% drop in sales of homes priced under $500,000. Regionally, year-to-date new home sales fell in the Northeast (-20.7%), Midwest (-11.9%), and South (-1.8%), but rose 2.1% in the West.

House Appropriations Committee Approves Expansion to H-2B Visa Access for Returning Seasonal Workers

A key House committee has approved an amendment that would dramatically expand access to H-2B seasonal worker visas for employers who have consistently used the program in recent years. On June 24, the House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee adopted the bipartisan measure as part of the FY2026 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.

The amendment, introduced by Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), and Henry Cuellar (D-TX), allows employers who obtained H-2B labor certifications in any of the last five years to bring back the same number of workers in FY2026, outside of the existing annual cap of 66,000 H-2B visas. This change would provide critical predictability for seasonal businesses, especially in industries like seafood processing, landscaping, and hospitality. The amendment has a long path ahead before becoming public law. It remains likely that Congress will opt for another temporary stop-gap funding bill before it is able to agree to and pass a full-year appropriations bill.

Supreme Court Ruling Limits Future Use of Nationwide Injunctions

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Trump v. Casa, significantly limiting the use of nationwide, or “universal,” injunctions by federal courts. These injunctions prevent the government from enforcing a policy against anyone, not just the plaintiffs in a case. The Court ruled that unless a lawsuit is certified as a class action, lower courts may only grant relief to plaintiffs who have legal standing. The majority opinion, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, emphasized that courts are not empowered to oversee the executive branch broadly but are limited to resolving specific legal disputes.

The ruling could impact how trade associations, including NLBMDA, pursue relief for their members through litigation, as courts may no longer issue nationwide remedies unless class action status is granted. As readers may remember, late last year a Texas District Court granted a nationwide injunction which halted reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act. This injunction provided NLBMDA, with our association partners, time to successfully lobby the Trump Administration to enact regulatory reforms that limited the impact the law would have for law-abiding small businesses. 

House Committee Examines Federal Solutions to Combat Wildfires

On June 26, the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing entitled “Fix Our Forests: Advancing Innovative Technologies to Improve Forest Management and Prevent Wildfires.” Lawmakers and witnesses discussed how cutting-edge tools, such as AI, drones, geospatial mapping, and real-time satellite imaging can help federal, state, and local agencies detect and contain wildfires faster, reduce suppression costs, and improve forest resilience. The hearing supported H.R. 471, the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to modernize wildfire response by expanding data integration, interagency coordination, and adoption of emerging technologies. NLBMDA members advocated for the Senate passage of H.R. 471 during NLBMDA's legislative fly-in in April. NLBMDA's legislative team continues to routinely meet with legislative staff on Capitol Hill to build support for legislative solutions that protect the health of our nation's vital forests.

OSHA Nominee Advances Through Senate Committee

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 12-11 along party lines to advance President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). David Keeling, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, previously served as Director of Road and Transportation Safety at Amazon from 2021 to 2023. He also held multiple safety leadership roles at UPS. Both companies have had extensive interactions with OSHA. Keeling’s nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration. With the reconciliation bill now completed, the Senate is expected to increase its pace confirming political appointees. Approximately 85 nominees have been confirmed by the Senate with 260 still requiring consideration by the Senate.

OSHA Conducts Informal Public Hearing on Proposed Heat Rule

Last week, OSHA concluded a multi-day public hearing on its proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings rule. The hearing allowed stakeholders to briefly testify before a panel of OSHA officials as the agency evaluates the future of the rule.

Although the hearing was initially announced under the Biden administration, the Trump administration decided to move forward with the proceedings. Earlier this year, NLBMDA submitted formal comments on behalf of the industry, outlining concerns with the rule as currently written. In the months since, members of the business community and congressional leaders have urged OSHA to revise the proposal to be less prescriptive and less burdensome on small businesses.

Participants who testified during the hearing may submit supplemental materials and written briefs through September 30. NLBMDA will remain actively engaged with OSHA and other stakeholders to advocate for withdrawal and revision of the rule in its current form.

Bliffert Lumber expands into Green Bay

Bliffert Lumber, the 2024 ProDealer of the Year, has completed a merger with Jauquet Lumber Co Inc., a family-owned business based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Founded in 1905, Jauquet Lumber has served Northeast Wisconsin for 120 years. The company is owned and operated by third-generation brothers Jim and Joe Jauquet.

Weyerhaeuser adds two distribution centers

Seattle-based Weyerhaeuser has made an Inland Northwest footprint expansion with the addition of two new distribution centers: one located in Spokane, Wash., and the other in Billings, Mont. With these additions, Weyerhaeuser will operate from 21 distribution centers throughout the U.S.

Simpson Strong-Tie Awards Scholarships to 120 College Students

Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, announced the winners of its 2025–2026 Student Scholarship program, a part of the company’s Strong-Tie Undergraduate Fellowship. The company awarded $3,000 scholarships to 120 college juniors and seniors studying architecture, structural and civil engineering, or construction management.

Federated Insurance Reaches $3 Billion Milestone Ahead of Schedule

Federated Insurance® has reached a significant milestone, surpassing $3 billion in total premium across its property, casualty, and life insurance lines. This achievement reflects the company’s strategic goal, set in 2022, to meet the evolving needs of its clients and association partners while expanding opportunities for its employees. The company had set its sights on surpassing $3 billion by the end of 2026, however Federated’s 3,000+ employees across the nation exceeded expectations by crossing the finish line a full two years ahead of target.

Culpeper Wood Preservers Expands Fire-Treated Lumber Availability to the Northeast

Culpeper Wood Preservers, a leading manufacturer of pressure-treated lumber, is expanding its FlamePRO® fire-retardant lumber product offerings into the Northeast region of the United States. The availability of Culpeper fire-treated wood will help serve the multifamily and commercial construction sectors across the region by making faster delivery times available. 

Culpeper’s plant in Lancaster, Massachusetts, is the first of the organization’s Northeast facilities to stock fire-treated lumber, which will help reduce lead times for Culpeper’s contractor and dealer customers in the region.