February 17, 2025 • View in browser

Formerly "Dealer Digest," NLBMDA Weekly is the premier source of federal legislative, regulatory, and industry news for NLBMDA members.

White House Announces 25% tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports 

Last week the White House announced two executive actions which would institute a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports. According to the International Trade Administration, Canada is the United States’ largest importer of aluminum accounting for $11.22 billion annually or 39.7% of total aluminum imports. As the primary material of choice for window frames and doors, aluminum is vital to the LBM industry.

Domestic steel manufacturer U.S. Steel applauded the Administration’s announcement of tariffs on steel imports. “Tariffs paired with innovative technology and investment will have U.S. Steel poised to lead a new Golden Age of American steelmaking. America must aggressively confront the global threat posed by Chinese dominance in steel production,” the company said in a statement. President Trump recently stated he would oppose a foreign takeover of the steel company. Tariffs on both materials are scheduled to go into effect on March 14^th. 

CTA Update: CTA Repeal Bill Nears Passage, Nationwide Injunction Appealed

Last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation which would delay the reporting requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) until January 1^st, 2026.

The Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025 (H.R. 736/ Senate Bill No. TBD) passed under suspension of the rules with unanimous consent in a 408-0 vote. If passed, the legislation would provide long-term certainty following weeks of back-and-forth in the courts regarding the legal status of the CTA. NLBMDA has been a leading proponent for a delay of the CTA and its passage through the U.S. House is a significant milestone towards providing relief to small businesses and LBM dealers across the United States

Last week, the Federal government issued its official appeal in the CTA case, Smith, et al. v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, et al. Currently, there is a nationwide injunction in effect due to a court order from Smith. Given the government’s recent appeal, the nationwide injunction could likely be in jeopardy making the need to pass CTA delay legislation all the more important.   

Read our most recent alert on the CTA here.

Register Today for the 2025 Spring Meeting and Legislative Conference

NLBMDA is excited to announce that registration is now open for its Spring Meeting and Legislative Conference to be held in Washington, D.C. from April 1-2 at the Westin Washington, D.C. City Center. This premier event is an incredible opportunity to remind leaders of the importance of our industry and advance the advocacy agendas of NLBMDA. This conference includes many opportunities to learn about key issues affecting the lumber and building material industry from Washington policy experts.

The event will culminate with a day for you to conduct in-person meetings with your elected officials in Congress, making your voice heard on Capitol Hill. You won’t want to miss a minute of this program.

This is a member-only event. Be sure to register by Friday, February 28 to receive a discounted rate. Don't delay, register today! 

NLBMDA Releases 2025 National Policy Agenda

Last week, NLBMDA released its 2025 National Policy Agenda, detailing its legislative priorities and stances on key issues related to the LBM industry. This year, housing affordability continues to be a central focus of our policy agenda, along with eliminating overly burdensome regulations. As suppliers to the residential construction industry, NLBMDA members play a critical role in increasing opportunities for more Americans to realize the dream of homeownership.

“With a new political environment, we are optimistic that we can find common ground with Congress and the White House administration to advance policies which address the housing affordability crisis and strengthens the residential construction industry,” said NLBMDA President & CEO Jonathan Paine. “NLBMDA is aggressively working with policymakers to identify areas of collaboration to advance the federal legislative and regulatory policies of the association and to promote the growth of the LBM industry."

To access the 2025 National Policy Agenda, click here.

NLBMDA and HBS Dealer Launch Nominations For 2025 Pro Dealer Of The Year

NLBMDA and HBS Dealer are looking to recognize two exceptional Pro Dealers at the 2025 Pro Dealer Industry Summit to be held on October 8-10 in Louisville, KY. Winners gain recognition, prestige, and the opportunity to showcase their success within their company and throughout the industry.

The Pro Dealer of the Year award recognizes a company that demonstrates exceptional growth, innovation, and leadership in the LBM industry. The Independent Pro Dealer of the Year award celebrates a standout dealer with five or fewer locations that exemplifies the values and business acumen of the independent lumberyard sector.

To submit your nomination please use the online form.

NLBMDA Featured in Fox Business

On February 7, Fox Business featured an article titled "Lumber, construction material prices could rise due to tariffs." The article discusses the effects that President Trump's plan to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico would have on the LBM industry.

NLBMDA President and CEO Jonathan Paine was quoted in the article, "The United States already has an affordable housing crisis and we as a nation must be focused on advocating for measures that reduce construction costs and eliminate regulatory barriers, not policy that discourages or creates new challenges for developing affordable housing."

Read the full story here.

East Coast Port Workers Initiate Process for Approving New Six-Year Contract

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) are now a step closer to finalizing a new six-year contract between the two parties. Earlier this year, the two parties agreed to terms on a new contract which averted the possibility of a union strike at ports across the eastern seaboard. NLBMDA, alongside a broad coalition of trade associations, strongly advocated for a timely resolution of the dispute between the two parties to avert a potentially costly shutdown of the ports. 

The ILA’s Wage Scale Committee unanimously approved the new contract setting up a full ILA membership vote scheduled to take place on February 25th. The new agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2024 and extends until September 30, 2030. 

National Association of Home Builders, Wells Fargo Release First Housing Market Index Survey of 2025

On February 6, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo released their monthly Housing Market Index (HMI) survey for January 2025. As the first of the year, this HMI report predicts key issues that the housing market will be facing throughout 2025.

While fewer builders are worried about the effects of "gridlock and Washington uncertainty" putting buyers off (60 percent in 2024 vs. 32 percent in 2025), material costs are a rising concern. Sixty-four percent of respondents cite "building material prices" as a key concern for 2025 (up from 57 percent in 2024.) Other predicted issues include high interest rates and cost/availability of labor and developed lots.

Read the full report here.

House & Senate Budget Committees Pass Budget Resolutions, First Key Hurdle to Unlock Reconciliation Process

Six weeks into the new Congress, both the House and Senate budget committees have approved budget resolutions, a key step towards unlocking the reconciliation process. A budget resolution is a blueprint for legislators which sets out the topline spending numbers and tax cuts. The House is operating under the premise of passing one “big beautiful” reconciliation bill which includes tax cuts, border funding, and other key legislative priorities for the new Administration. The Senate prefers a two-bill approach with the first bill tackling border security, energy, and defense. 

The House draft resolution caps tax cuts at $4.5 trillion for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. While significant, the number is short of where many within the Republican party would like the number to be. Tax writers on Capitol Hill estimate this number would be insufficient for a permanent extension of the provisions expiring in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The House budget resolution has a difficult road ahead as it now requires majority support on the House floor. Several lawmakers, including the ‘SALT Republicans’, have already expressed concerns with resolution. Speaker Johnson has next-to-no room for party breakage in what is expected to be a party line vote.

Bipartisan Workforce Development Bill Introduced in New Congress, NLBMDA Supports

Last week, Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Don Davis (D-NC), Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) reintroduced workforce legislation targeted at expanding training in the construction trades to address the growing housing shortage in the United States. In January, Sens. Jackie Rosen (D-NV) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

The Creating Opportunities for New Skills Training at Rural or Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools (CONSTRUCTS) Act would directly address the labor shortage in the residential construction industry. “NLBMDA applauds the reintroduction of the CONSTRUCTS Act,” said NLBMDA’s President & CEO Jonathan Paine. “If passed, the legislation will be a vital tool for trade schools and universities to expand the trades and address the growing workforce shortage.” CONSTRUCTS would establish a new grant program within the Department of Labor which would provide direct funds to schools to expand trades programs. 

Canadian Leaders Visit D.C. Seeking Collaboration with New Administration

Leaders from Canadian provinces visited Washington last week to advocate against the implementation of the Trump administration’s tariff strategy. For the first time, all 13 of Canada’s premiers visited Washington attending a series of meetings with the White House and with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. With the Canadian parliament currently prorogued and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weeks away from leaving office, Canada’s premiers have been a leading voice for the Canadian government during discussions. 

According to reports, the premiers were not able to meet with President Trump or high-level cabinet officials instead opting for a meeting with mid-level White House staff. While largely a listening exercise, the delegation extended an opportunity for the two countries to jointly compete against China. The premiers told reporters that their meetings in Washington were “constructive and positive” though noted they did not leave Washington with any long-term assurances that tariffs would continue to be delayed past March 4th.  

Trump Administration, Musk, Charge Forward with Federal Workforce Restructuring 

As part of an expansive effort to substantially restructure and reform the federal workforce, more than 75,000 federal employees have accepted a “deferred resignation” offer to leave their positions within the federal government. Last week, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) expanded its restructuring and issued a new directive to agencies to independently assess the need for employees currently in a probationary period. 

The order has the potential to impact hundreds of thousands of federal workers currently in a probationary period. Several agencies, including the VA and U.S. Forest Service have already fired thousands of probationary workers with more announcements throughout the federal government expected this week. An estimated 216,000 federal employees are categorized as probationary employees. The National Nuclear Security Administration, the agency which maintains the United States nuclear stockpile, reportedly fired 300 probationary employees though quickly reversed the decision after determining the employees were mission-critical to overseeing the safety and security of the nuclear stockpile. Several unions representing federal workers have filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the directive.

NLBMDA and Industry Partners Lobby for Affordable Housing

As NLBMDA and the LBM industry continue to advocate for affordable housing legislation, last week representatives from the Habitat for Humanity joined the cause and coalesced in Washington attending a series of meetings with lawmakers. Among its asks, the group of over 450 advocates, urged lawmakers to fund Housing and Urban Development’s HOME program no less than $1.5 billion during the FY25 appropriations process. HOME is a vital federal-state partnership which provides formula grants to build, buy, or rehabilitate homes. 

The group also lobbied for several bills which would address the housing crisis, including the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA), legislation NLBMDA has been a leading advocate for. If signed into law, NHIA would target growth in distressed neighborhoods through a new tax credit that would allow for the rehabilitation and construction of one-to-four family housing units. As Congress is gearing up to begin substantially drafting a sweeping tax bill, NLBMDA alongside a broad coalition will be lobbying Congress to pass legislation which addresses the affordable housing crisis.

President Trump Nominates OSHA Leadership

President Trump has named David Keeling to lead the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Keeling held a role at Amazon leading the company’s transportation safety efforts. Prior to his role at Amazon, Keeling led health and safety at UPS. This week Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trumps nominee for labor secretary, is scheduled to appear before the Senate HELP committee. The White House also named Amanda Wood Laihow to serve as deputy to Keeling. Previously, Laihow directed labor policy for the National Association of Manufacturers. 

White House officials have signaled that the next few years will see significantly less regulatory activity than the previous administration. NLBMDA opposed many last-minute rulemakings pushed through by the Biden administration including OSHA’s proposed heat rule which would impose broad, overly prescriptive compliance requirements for small businesses. As a reminder, the administration issued a regulatory freeze pausing all rulemaking pending further review. During the first Trump administration, the White House maintained enforcement of existing regulations though were largely restrained in issuing new rulemakings. Senate confirmation for the new OSHA head will likely occur this Spring. The appointment is one of hundreds the Senate will need to work through in the ensuing months. 

ECI appoints CIO

ECI Software Solutions has appointed Brian Hildebrand as chief information officer (CIO). As CIO, Hildebrand will be responsible for developing and implementing ECI's IT strategy and overseeing the organization's entire technology infrastructure.

Boise Cascade appoints executive

Boise Cascade Company has shared that Joanna (Jo) Barney will be the new executive vice president of its Building Materials Distribution (BMD) division, effective February 17, 2025. In this role, Barney will oversee the company’s 40+ distribution facilities, including millwork and door shops, across the U.S.

LMC Dealers Support Relief Efforts in North Carolina and California

LMC is proud to support the relief efforts led by Ruth Kellick Grubbs, an industry consultant who is working tirelessly alongside multiple organizations across our industry to provide aid to those most in need. These efforts aim not only to provide immediate relief but also to help these communities rebuild and recover in the long term.

Simpson Strong-Tie Opens Application for Student Scholarship

Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, has opened the application process for its annual Student Scholarship program, a part of the company’s Strong-Tie Undergraduate Fellowship. The $3,000 scholarship encourages the design and building of safer structures in our communities by supporting education for students majoring in structural and civil engineering, construction management or architecture in the United States.

GAF partners with ServiceTitan

The software platform ServiceTitan has been selected as the preferred customer relationship management (CRM) solution for exterior contractors by GAF, a Standard Industries company and North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer.