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WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) announced its support for S.3943, the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act, introduced by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Chris Coons (D-DE), along with five additional cosponsors. The legislation would exempt hundreds of building material product codes from recently enacted tariffs and establish a streamlined process allowing importers to apply for exclusions on homebuilding materials not automatically covered under the bill.
The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act was crafted with direct input from NLBMDA and includes exemptions for engineered wood products, lumber, cement and aggregates, stone and concrete products, ceramic tile, glass and glazing materials, insulation, plastics, adhesives, and other inputs essential to residential construction. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish an expedited exclusion process allowing U.S. entities to petition for tariff relief on homebuilding products, with decisions issued within 15 days for critical materials and 60 days for other covered articles.
In our 2025 trade survey, 84.6 percent of the more than one hundred dealers surveyed expressed moderate to high concern regarding ongoing volatility in the marketplace due to the enactment and revision of tariffs throughout the past year. Nearly three quarters of dealers surveyed stated that tariffs have had a direct impact on their business requiring short and long-term operational adjustments.
Last week’s Supreme Court decision invalidating the Administration’s use of IEEPA-based tariffs signals that the industry may be entering a renewed period of trade uncertainty, as the White House considers alternative authorities to replace the tariffs that were struck down.
Jonathan Paine, President & CEO of NLBMDA, was quoted in Senator Rosen’s press release announcing the introduction of the legislation:
“The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) is proud to support the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act. Lumber and building material dealers operate within a supply chain that depends on stable and predictable trade policy,” said Paine. “Tariffs on essential construction inputs have been shown to increase costs, create market volatility, and can delay or discourage new housing starts. By establishing a transparent and timely exclusion process for critical homebuilding materials, the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act will help stabilize prices, strengthen supply chains, and support the increased construction activity needed to improve housing affordability nationwide.”
The legislation applies to all tariffs implemented since January 19, 2025, but does not impact certain long-standing trade remedies, excluding antidumping and countervailing duties, including existing AD/CVD orders on Canadian softwood lumber, as well as other safeguard tariffs. The bill also allows businesses to apply for reimbursement for tariffs paid prior to an exclusion being granted. Over the coming weeks and months, NLBMDA will engage lawmakers and key stakeholders on Capitol Hill to build support for this legislation and reinforce the importance of market stability and long-term trade certainty for the materials essential to residential construction.
A one-pager on the legislation can be found here.
In addition to NLBMDA, the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act is endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the National Housing Conference, Up for Growth Action, and other groups.
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