Advocacy NewsNLBMDA members have access to legislative and regulatory updates for the Lumber and Building Materials industry as a benefit of membership. Stay up to date with your industry. Legislative AdvocacyRecent NewsCongress Passes FY 2022 Appropriations Bill Last night, the Senate joined the House of Representatives in passing a $1.5 trillion bipartisan appropriations bill that funds the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2022. The spending package also contains a supplemental funding bill providing $13.6 billion to support Ukraine. The bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature. Urge Congress to Support NLBMDA Budget Reconciliation Priorities NLBMDA recently sent a letter to Senate leaders highlighting the LBM industry’s positions on several proposals in the Democratic budget reconciliation plan, known as the Build Back Better Act. The legislation passed the House of Representatives last month and is now under consideration in the Senate. The roughly $2 trillion plan calls for new investments in social programs related to climate change, housing, health care, labor, education and child care. Senate Passes Resolution to Overturn Biden Administration Vaccine Mandate Last night, the U.S. Senate passed a NLBMDA-supported Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to nullify the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccination mandate on private employers by a vote of 52-48. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jon Tester (D-MT) joined every Republican in voting to pass the resolution. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to formally overturn rules issued by the executive branch. NLBMDA Sends Letter to Senate on Budget Reconciliation Priorities Today, NLBMDA sent a letter to U.S. Senate leaders highlighting the LBM industry’s positions on several proposals in the Democratic budget reconciliation plan, known as the Build Back Better Act. The legislation recently passed the House of Representatives and is now under consideration in the Senate. The roughly $2 trillion plan calls for new investments in social programs related to climate change, housing, health care, labor, education and child care. Regulatory AdvocacyRecent NewsNLBMDA Presses DOT on Supply Chain Funding This week, NLBMDA joined a coalition of over 40 organizations urging the Department of Transportation (DOT) to prioritize supply chain resiliency as the department implements the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) signed into law last November. President Biden to Sign Executive Order on Forest Management Today, President Biden plans to sign an executive order which seeks to protect U.S. forests against wildfire threats, support local economies, and reduce climate pollution. The order directs the Department of Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement several agency initiatives which are detailed below. NLBMDA will review President Biden’s executive order and continue to engage with the Administration on the issue of forest management and the lumber supply chain. 2021 OSHA Injury and Illness Data Due by March 2 NLBMDA would like to remind members that they must electronically submit Form 300A data on workplace injury and illnesses to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by March 2, 2022. FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) Compliance Resources As NLBMDA previously reported, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has published new regulations on Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT). In response to these new regulations, NLBMDA has compiled resources below for members to assist them with compliance. To access more updates and to read the full articles, please login here. Want access to NLBMDA Updates?Join NLBMDA now to take advantage of this and other member-only benefits You may also wish to explore and subscribe to a variety of email newsletters from NLBMDA. |