August 4, 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.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall speaks with The Building Center CEO John Wheeler

Congress Begins August Work-Period, Awaits Appropriations Battles in Fall

Last week the Senate followed in the footsteps of the U.S. House of Representatives and departed Washington for Congress’ annual August recess. The break marks a familiar pause in the legislative calendar, a moment for lawmakers to regroup, connect with constituents, and prepare for the sprint that usually awaits in the fall. Fresh off passing the largest tax and spending package in nearly a decade, Congressional leadership is shifting gears as attention turns to annual appropriations battles and a narrowing window to pass legislative wins before the 2026 election season kicks into full gear. Read our latest Washington Update  where we recapped the first half of this year’s legislative session and discuss the road ahead for the 119^th Congress.

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.

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

Become an NLBMDA Federal Advocacy Sponsor Today!

NLBMDA has launched a new Federal Advocacy Sponsorship webpage to show how your support directly powers real, industry-shaping results in Washington. From securing permanent small business tax relief to passing major pro-housing policies, our wins are possible because of sponsors like you. When you become a Federal Advocacy Sponsor, you’re making a strategic investment in protecting your business from rising costs and overregulation. Visit the new page to learn how you can strengthen the LBM industry’s voice where it matters most — on Capitol Hill. Questions? Contact jonathan@dealer.org.

New ProDealer Session Announced! A State of Play from Washington D.C.: An Insider Look Into the Political Landscape

Register for the 2025 ProDealer Industry Summit to hear an insider’s perspective on the ever-shifting political landscape and what it means for the lumber and building materials industry. This session will break down key legislative developments, regulatory trends, and the political forces shaping the business environment. Register today for a behind-the-scenes look at what NLBMDA and our trade association allies are working on in Washington.

Last Chance To Register for Tomorrow's Webinar! The Lumber Market is Easy to Beat When You Know What's Coming

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) recently announced that it partnered with Layman’s Lumber Guide to offer an exclusive member only discount for their market forecasts. Layman’s Lumber Guide is one of the industry's most prominent and reliable lumber market analyses and forecasts, covering Southern Yellow Pine lumber, Canadian SPF lumber, Western US lumber and OSB. During this webinar, Matt Layman, Publisher & Owner, will share the latest highlights from their lumber market analysis and forecast. Layman will share his key takeaways and how NLBMDA members can make business savvy strategic decisions in the months ahead. 

Join NLBMDA and Layman's for a members-only webinar on Tuesday, August 5 at 1:00 PM ET.

Matt Layman has worked in lumber commodities for nearly four decades, drawing on a wealth of real-world experience. In the summer of 1984 Matt began creating The Pine Page, and the first issue was published May 1985 as a southern yellow pine lumber and plywood market analysis and forecast. In 1992 The Pine Page expanded and rebranded as Layman’s Lumber Guide and became Layman’s full-time occupation.

Manufacturers and Services Council member NetNow Sits Down with HBSDealer

HBSDealer's One-on-One series turns to Nauman Hafeez, the CEO of NetNow, which has developed a cutting-edge credit-automation platform.



"Our system helps automate the process, gives you additional data points, and makes it easier for your customers to interact with you," said Hafeez. Click on the video above for more details.

NLBMDA Tax Policy Webinar Recording Now Available

On Wednesday, July 23, NLBMDA hosted an in-depth policy webinar examining what H.R. 1, or “One Big Beautiful Bill,” means for LBM dealers nationwide. During the session, NLBMDA’s President & CEO Jonathan Paine and Government Affairs Coordinator, Matthew Delaney, highlighted NLBMDA's tax reform agenda, assessed the progress we’ve made in advancing our legislative goals, and outlined the next steps in our advocacy strategy for the 119th Congress. They also provided a broader update on other federal policy issues of importance to LBM dealers, including regulatory developments, labor and workforce legislation, and other priorities. 

NLBMDA was joined by Alex Ford, Executive Director of the S-Corporation Association; Ayrianne Parks, Senior Policy Director at Enterprise Community Partners; and Stephanie Badger, Vice President at The Nickels Group for this timely discussion. Stephanie began out the conversation with an update on the latest push for swipe fee reform in Congress, Ayrianne highlighted the housing provisions that were recently signed into law, then Alex broke down the business tax provisions in the bill.

President Trump Signs Executive Order Ending De Minimis Tariff Exemption 

On July 30, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order suspending duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value imports from all countries, citing ongoing national emergencies involving drug trafficking, trade imbalances, and security threats. The de minimis exemption currently allows the informal, duty-free entry of articles that have a retail value of $800 or less. Notably, the de minimis exemption was eliminated in May for low-value goods originating from China.



Beginning August 29, all shipments, except those sent through the international postal network, will be subject to duties, taxes, and fees regardless of value or origin. Under the executive order, shippers must now use proper entry procedures, and carriers of postal shipments must collect and remit duties based on country-specific tariff rates or flat per-item fees. Postal shipments remain temporarily exempt until new Customs procedures are finalized.

Senate Advances Historic ROAD to Housing Act, NLBMDA Supported Legislation

Prior to departing Washington, the Senate Banking Committee, Housing and Urban Affairs held an executive session voted unanimously to approve the "Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act."

This NLBMDA supported legislation would take historic action to address the nation’s housing stock shortage. ROAD to Housing is the first bipartisan markup of housing policy in more than a decade. The legislation expands housing supply, streamlines development processes, improves access to financing, and enhances the efficiency of federally managed housing programs. Having passed the Senate Banking Committee, the legislation will now proceed to the Senate floor for debate and a vote on passage.



NLBMDA commends Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for their leadership in developing a strong bipartisan bill that addresses many areas of which the association supports. NLBMDA will be meeting with Senate lawmakers once they return from the August recess to encourage swift passage of the legislation.

Commerce Department Finalizes Adjusted Canadian Softwood Lumber Antidumping Rate

On July 25, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its antidumping duty final determination in the sixth administrative review of Canadian softwood lumber, increasing the antidumping duty rate for non-selected companies to 20.56 percent. This review covers imports of softwood lumber from Canada that entered into the United States during the period of January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. This marks a significant jump from the 7.66 percent rate set in the previous (fifth) review. DOC had previewed the change in March with its preliminary determination, which estimated the adjusted rate at 20.07 percent, slightly lower than the final 20.56 percent determination.

A final decision on countervailing duties—expected by August 8—will likely confirm the preliminary rate of 14.38 percent. Meanwhile, Commerce is also conducting a separate Section 232 investigation into wood product imports, with results anticipated by November. NLBMDA has submitted comments opposing additional tariffs and continues to advocate for accessible, fairly priced Canadian Softwood Lumber, citing member concerns over trade uncertainty—74% report negative impacts on business and 87% are actively monitoring tariffs. For more, please read the communication NLBMDA sent out last week.

White House Releases New Guidance on Reciprocal Tariffs

The White House has unveiled new sweeping new tariffs targeting exports from over 60 countries, marking a major overhaul of U.S. trade policy. Beginning August 7, many nations will face tariffs ranging from 10% to 50%, with the highest rates hitting Brazil, Myanmar, Syria, and Laos. The new tariff rates arrive as the U.S.’s largest trading partners continue to negotiate trade deals. So far, the U.S. has reached preliminary agreements with 8 trading partners: South Korea, United Kingdom, European Union, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Cambodia. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has stated that negotiations remain ongoing with China and that a deal is expected to materialize over the new few weeks. The White House announced it would grant a 90-day tariff reprieve for Mexico pending further negotiations to reach a final trade agreement. The White House did not announce a similar tariff reprieve for Canada, announcing instead a tariff increase from 25 percent to 35 percent on all non-USMCA complaint goods. 

U.S. Department of Labor Reports 73,000 Jobs Added in July

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor have released lower than expected jobs numbers for July 2025. BLS reported that the U.S. economy added 73,000 jobs in July and reported that the employment rate rose slightly to 4.2 percent, an increase from a 4.1 percent unemployment rate the month prior. The manufacturing sector saw a decline of 11,000 jobs in July, marking the third consecutive month of losses in the sector. BLS also issued a revision of previously announced jobs reports from May and June. BLS reports the U.S. economy only added 19,000 jobs over the two-month period, a significant correction from the originally reported 291,000 jobs stated to have been added during that period.

Labor Department Proposes Overhaul of 60+ Workplace Regulations

The U.S. Department of Labor announced plans to repeal or revise 63 workplace regulations as part of a new deregulatory initiative directed by President Trump’s Executive Order “Unleashing Prosperity through Deregulation.” The proposal is led by Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and aims to reduce regulatory burdens across multiple sectors.



Among the proposed deregulatory actions, the department proposes limiting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) authority under the General Duty Clause, restricting enforcement related to inherently risky professional activities. The proposed changes are subject to public comment and further review before implementation. 

Senator Padilla and Representative Chu Introduce Heat Illness Prevention Bill

Last month, Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 (H.R. 4443/ S. 2298) in both the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. If enacted, the bill would direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a federal heat protection standard for workers. The legislation requires employers to provide workplaces with water, shade, paid rest breaks, acclimatization policies, and employee training. The legislation mandates OSHA to issue an interim rule within one year of enactment and finalize standards within two years. It also includes whistleblower protections and ensures new rules maintain or improve existing protections.



OSHA is currently developing its own heat stress regulation, which would cover about 36 million workers. NLBMDA and other industry stakeholders have filed comments opposing the OSHA rulemaking as currently written. OSHA is concluding its public comment period on the rulemaking in the Fall whereafter it is expected to release more information pertaining to the rulemaking. 

Maine event: Hammond makes a deal

In a move that solidifies Hammond Lumber Company’s position as one of the largest independent building material retailers in the Northeast, the Maine-based company plans to acquire Ware-Butler Building Supply.

21st Annual Federated Challenge Raises $4,945,000 to Support Big Brothers Big Sisters

The Federated Challenge raised a record $4,945,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters during its 21st annual event on Sunday, July 27. With Federated Insurance Chairman, President and CEO Nicholas Lower and his wife, Jessica, stepping into their roles as co-chairs for the first time, the gala drew more than 700 attendees and 113 sponsoring businesses, including 20 first-time sponsors. 

Boise Cascade announces 5% quarterly dividend increase

Boise Cascade Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.22 per share, an increase of $0.01 per share or 5%, to holders of its common stock. The dividend will be paid on September 17, 2025 to stockholders of record on September 2, 2025.

18 LMC Women Named Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply Class of 2025

The LMC network is comprised of the industry’s leading businesses and the individuals who drive their success. Women in this field continue to break barriers and set new standards of excellence throughout the industry. HBSDealer recognizes this talent with their Top Women in Hardware & Building Supply Awards.

BlueLinx Announces New $50 Million Share Repurchase Authorization

BlueLinx Holdings Inc. (NYSE: BXC), a leading U.S. wholesale distributor of building products, announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase authorization under which the Company may repurchase up to $50 million of its outstanding shares of common stock in accordance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.