Working in Tandem with NAHB, Lawmakers Send a Strong Message to Commerce Secretary on Lumber Duties

Environment
Published

At the behest of NAHB, 84 members of Congress this week sent a joint letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo expressing urgent concern regarding the Commerce Department’s recent decision to double tariffs on softwood lumber products from Canada. The letter also calls on the United States to resume talks with Canada to negotiate a new softwood lumber trade agreement.

NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke applauded the bipartisan group of lawmakers for “taking a stand for housing and homeownership.” “The current situation is clearly untenable, with lumber duties of 18% exacerbating severe price volatility and making it difficult for millions of Americans to afford a home,” Fowke said. “It should be noted that the congressional letter does not take sides in this trade dispute, but rather highlights the urgent need to reach a balanced agreement that would ‘provide predictability to home builders and job security for the millions of hardworking Americans who apply their skills every day in the construction industry.’ Removing costly lumber duties would also be an important step forward to resolve the building material supply chain bottlenecks that are delaying construction projects and raising the cost of housing.”

Although lumber prices began a sharp decline from their record high in May, it took months for a meaningful portion of those price reductions to reach the construction industry and its customers. Unfortunately, prices began rising again in September and have increased substantially in recent weeks.

“Historically high lumber and building material prices continue to imperil the U.S. housing sector and the jobs of the skilled workers in this sector,” the letter to Sec. Raimondo stated. “Housing construction is an important contributor to the U.S. economy, especially as the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this success is at risk as the construction industry faces a dramatic increase in the costs of materials.”

The congressional letter to Sec. Raimondo does not take sides in this trade dispute. It simply highlights the urgent need for the United States and Canada to renew negotiations in an effort to come to an equitable solution that will satisfy all sides — including domestic industries and consumers — that rely on softwood lumber for their economic well-being.

“Such an agreement would be in the interests of the United States because it would provide predictability to home builders and job security for the millions of hardworking Americans who apply their skills every day in the construction industry,” the lawmakers stated. “Resolving this matter in a balanced way would help the economy recover from the disruptions of the past year.” Read the letter.

For more information, contact Alex Strong at 800-368-5242 x8279.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Safety

Jul 01, 2025

Use NAHB Resources to Protect Workers from Heat and UV Exposure

As NAHB celebrates UV Safety Awareness Month in July, it is important for home builders and general contractors to educate workers about the potential risks associated with UV radiation, and have plans and resources in place to keep them safe on the jobsite.

Advocacy

Jul 01, 2025

Senate Passes Tax Bill With Many Wins for NAHB Members

The Senate today passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) — sweeping tax and domestic policy legislation that includes several important housing and business provisions that will benefit small businesses, real estate and our members. Most notably, NAHB was able to secure key wins regarding state and local tax deductions for individuals and pass-through businesses.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 01, 2025

May Private Residential Construction Spending Dips

Private residential construction spending fell by 0.5% in May, marking the fifth straight month of decreases. This drop was primarily driven by reduced spending on single-family construction. Compared to a year ago, total spending was down 6.7%, as the housing sector continues to navigate the economic uncertainty stemming from ongoing tariff concerns and elevated mortgage rates.

Economics

Jul 01, 2025

Flat Job Openings for Construction

The count of open, unfilled positions in the construction industry held steady amid a slowdown for housing, per the May Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Jun 30, 2025

2024 New Single-Family Starts by Census Division

Despite persistently high mortgage rates, elevated financing costs for builders, and a shortage of buildable lots, single-family starts rebounded in 2024, following two straight years of declines.