For Immediate Release: January 16, 2009
Contact: Michael O’Brien, (202) 367-1280

 

[Washington, DC] – As President-Elect Obama prepares to take office, the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) today released its 2009 National Policy Agenda (NPA) outlining the legislative and regulatory policies and priorities of the building material industry for the 111^th Congress and the new Administration. 

 

“As the national association for building material dealers and suppliers, it will be NLBMDA’s role to serve as the voice and advocate for the industry at this crucial juncture in Washington,” said Paul Hylbert, Jr., NLBMDA Chairman and CEO of Pro-Build Holdings in Denver, CO.  “It is imperative that we be ready with a proactive and aggressive agenda that will promote and protect the industry during these challenging times.  There will be no housing recovery without strong lumber and building material dealers and suppliers and the NPA will help communicate our message in Washington.”

 

Under development since September 2008, several NLBMDA committees and the Board of Directors worked on the NPA, which outlines the association’s policies in seven key areas: Housing Policy, Legal Reform, Workforce Policy, Tax Policy, Product Supply, Transportation and Energy.

 

“Simply put, the NPA will lay out in a clear and concise manner the issues of importance to the LBM industry in Washington and the principles we will use going forward to evaluate whether we will support or oppose an issue. Public policy makers will know exactly where we stand as an industry, “ said NLBMDA President and CEO Michael O’Brien.

 

The NPA will be distributed to members of Congress and key Administration officials and will also be widely used during the association’s annual Legislative Conference, scheduled for March 16-18 in Washington. NLBMDA members will also be distributing it to their elected representatives back in their home districts.

 

To obtain a copy of the NLBMDA National Policy Agenda, visit the association’s website, www.dealer.org.

 

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The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) represents its members in the national public policy arena, with emphasis on efforts to 1) promote the industry and educate legislators and public policy personnel; and 2) assist legislative, regulatory, standard-setting and other government or private bodies in the development of laws, regulations and policies affecting lumber and building material dealers, its customers and suppliers. Founded in 1917, the association has over 6,000 members operating single or multiple lumber yards and component plants serving homebuilders, subcontractors, general contractors, and consumers in the new construction, repair and remodeling of residential and light commercial structures.