Tuesday, April 29th marked the 100^th day of office for President Trump’s second term. Historically, the first hundred days are used as a measurement to determine the success of a new administration when political capital and goodwill are at its highest. This occasion also allows trade associations, NLBMDA included, to reflect on our advocacy wins and the road ahead as NLBMDA continues to work to advance the legislative and regulatory priorities of the LBM industry.

Reversing precedent from prior Administrations, the White House has prioritized using executive power as the primary means to advance the President’s legislative and regulatory agenda. President Trump has signed more than 140 executive orders a total which easily surpasses the last five administrations combined during the same period. Conversely, the President has signed the fewest number of laws in the modern era during this time frame. Currently, 5 laws have been signed into law by the President compared to the 30 signed during the first one hundred days of Trump’s first administration. The lower figure is reflective of a Republican-controlled Congress operating with narrow margins as well as a priority for lawmakers to center efforts on completing a reconciliation package that will include a slew of this White House’s legislative priorities including the extension of the 2017 tax cuts. Below, we’ve recapped some of our latest advocacy wins that are a testament to the impact of NLBMDA’s member-driven advocacy and the efforts of NLBMDA staff to proactively engage with stakeholders in Washington to promote the priorities of the LBM industry.

Navigating An Evolving Trade Environment:

Since the release of the White House’s America First Trade Policy on January 20^th, NLBMDA has been closely monitoring an evolving trade environment as the White House seeks redefine the United States’ relationship with its global trading partners. Early on, NLBMDA quickly became a leading voice for the building materials sector calling on the White House and U.S. Trade Office to exclude additional tariffs on lumber and building materials imports critical to the domestic residential construction sector. On April 2^nd, “Liberation Day”, the White House announced blanket tariffs on nearly all global imports. Notably, the White House granted an exclusion for lumber imports, a major win for the industry that was a result of NLBMDA leading a coalition alongside coalition partners to secure the exemption. While there remains a long road ahead, NLBMDA will remain steadfast in advancing the interests of the LBM industry to ensure that there remains stability and long-term certainty in the lumber and building materials supply chain.

Leading Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) Reform:

A few weeks prior to President Trump’s inauguration, nearly 33 million small businesses faced a pressing deadline to file beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Failure to do so would have resulted in a daily civil penalty of $591 per day of incompliance or a criminal conviction which could entail a fine of up to $10,000 or two years of imprisonment. In 2024, NLBMDA launched a robust education campaign to ensure that LBM dealers were aware and achieved compliance with the law in order to avoid these steep penalties. Despite millions of small businesses unaware of their obligations under the law, federal officials pressed forward with a January 1^st, 2024, deadline. In late 2024, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), filed suit against the federal government which resulted in a federal judge issuing a national injunction blocking enforcement of the CTA. NLBMDA closely monitored every stage of the litigation routinely provided updates to ensure members remained in the know.

In January, NLBMDA and its coalition partners sent a letter to the White House and Secretary Scott Bessent emphasizing the need for regulatory relief as it became clear litigation in the courts would likely take months to play out. Following NLBMDA efforts, the Treasury Department announced plans to significantly rescope how the CTA would be interpreted. Today, all domestic reporting companies are exempt from CTA BOI filing requirements, a major reversal that signals the administration’s desire to eliminate rulemakings that increase regulatory burdens for Main Street businesses. A final rulemaking is expected later this year that will finalize the new interpretation of the CTA.

Promoting Responsible Forestry Practices:

Earlier this year NLBMDA identified an opportunity to help lead efforts to overhaul forestry management and wildfire mitigation programs. Evidenced by the recent Southern California wildfires, there is a critical need for reform and expansion of federal programs to protect the health of our nation’s forests. Lumber makes up the largest single product category supplied by building material dealers, and NLBMDA has long had an interest in supporting a stable supply of domestic and foreign wood products.

NLBMDA championed advocacy for the Fix Our Forests Act which passed the House of Representatives earlier this year and has received bipartisan support and official introduction in the Senate. This legislation will make meaningful strides towards protecting regions most susceptible to wildfires. This Congress, NLBMDA has also supported the Disaster Reforestation Act, a bill that allows forest owners to deduct the value of lost timber, and the Jobs in the Woods Act, a comprehensive workforce development that will ensure the next generation is equipped with the training necessary to enter the lumber industry.

Next Steps:

NLBMDA’s work in the 119^th Congress is just beginning. Congress returned to Washington on Monday for an expected to be fast paced four-week session that will including the drafting of a robust reconciliation package. NLBMDA is closely engaging with lawmakers and staff to ensure that pro-business, growth oriented, tax provisions are extended. The reconciliation bill may also serve as the legislative vehicle for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA), NLBMDA supported legislation that would significantly increase the supply of housing in the United States. This week, the AHCIA was reintroduced only a handful of days after NLBMDA members visited Washington to advocate and build support for the reintroduction of the legislation. Now having been reintroduced in the Senate and the House, Congress has an opportunity to deliver meaningful federal policy that would strengthen the residential construction sector.

To complement our outreach this Congress, NLBMDA recently put together a new advocacy one-pager that highlights the history of our trade association and outlines our main priorities for the 119^th Congress.

With the first one hundred days now in the rear-view mirror, NLBMDA’s focus is on the next 612 days of this legislative session. As the voice of the industry in Washington, we will continue to identify and advocate for legislative and regulatory opportunities that promote the long-term success of the LBM industry.

For questions, contact Matthew Delaney, NLBMDA’s Government Affairs Coordinator at mdelaney@dealer.org.

Special Thanks to NLBMDA's Federal Advocacy Sponsors