The National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) released its 2026 National Policy Agenda (NPA), a comprehensive advocacy platform that outlines key priorities for the lumber and building material (LBM) industry in the coming year. …With Congress expected to take up housing legislation in 2026, NLBMDA’s NPA outlines a series of targeted recommendations designed to strengthen the residential construction market and improve housing affordability nationwide. …[Principles noted include]:

• NLBMDA supports reaching an agreement on the longstanding US-Canadian softwood lumber dispute that brings stability and predictability to the pricing and availability of softwood lumber without the imposition of duties. Additionally, we strongly urge the United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce to consult with all stakeholders, including retailers and consumers of lumber products, in future discussions regarding any terms of trade in softwood lumber between the US and Canada.
• NLBMDA supports a tariff exemption for cedar shakes and shingles manufactured in Canada and imported to the US