Statement from NAHB Chairman Jerry Konter on Biden’s Push to Seek More Oil from Canada

Jerry Konter, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder and developer from Savannah, Ga., today issued the following statement after the White House said it was seeking ways to boost oil imports from Canada:

“The White House is making it a top priority to boost Canadian oil imports into the U.S. to ease the pain of higher gas prices and this is a laudable goal. But why doesn’t the administration act with the same sense of urgency to ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis and help millions of Americans to save thousands of dollars? Negotiating a new softwood lumber agreement with Canada that will eliminate tariffs will help the economy recover from the disruptions of the last year and reduce unprecedented price volatility that has added more than $18,600 to the price of a new home since last August. It’s time to end protectionist lumber tariffs that are acting as a tax on American home buyers and putting needless upward pressure on home prices.”