A Washington lobbyist said changes in Congress and the White House look largely positive for the interests of the woodworking industry.

Speaking to members of the Wood Industry Association in a Zoom call November 21, Patrick Rita of Orion Advocates reported on changes in the make-up of Congressional committee leadership, cabinet appointments announced so far, and the fate of legislation still in Congress or expected to be acted on in 2025.

For the immediate future, he reminded WIA members with the election over, this is a “lame duck” Congress. “We’re not expecting a whole lot to happen,” he said. Key issues of concern to WIA members such as taxes, the farm bill, tariffs, and workforce initiatives all will likely wait until the new Congress is sworn into office on January 3, 2025.

Between now and then, he predicted a continuing resolution would pass to continue to fund the government and move most legislative initiatives to 2025. A defense authorization bill (NDAA) will also be voted on, and he cautioned that it has “lots of riders” that could complicate that process and have potential impacts on the industry. 

But he doesn’t think there will be definitive action on a farm bill before Congress ends its session. Still, he was optimistic that the farm bill would get a one-year extension and be readdressed in 2025. Similarly, he said he was hopeful that workforce legislation would be acted on “early in 2025.”

He reviewed what the election would do to change the leadership of key committees in Congress. In virtually all the cases he cited, including committees concerned with agriculture, the environment, energy, natural resources, finance, commerce, and appropriations, he predicted the new committee leadership would be largely friendly to the concerns of the woodworking industry.
He noted that many cabinet appointments have still not been announced, and all will face confirmation in the Senate. But he did not raise any red flags about appointments announced to date as they might relate to woodworking industry issues.

Responding to a question about tariffs, he acknowledged President-Elect Donald Trump’s previous statements about tariffs raise the possibility of “potential impacts” for the woodworking industry. He said he planned to meet with the transition team and members of Congress on the issue.

On tax issues such as bonus depreciation and tax benefits for S-Corporations, Rita said he thought those measures would likely be renewed, but he was not so confident about them being made retroactive.

When asked what industry members can do to make sure their voice is heard in Washington, Rita suggested one of the best tactics is to host your Congressional representatives on factory tours. That offers a positive photo opportunity for the politician while giving the industry the chance to speak directly and show legislators what the needs are.

Rita also said that this is a good time for members of industry to target newly elected legislators to make sure they are familiar with the industry’s issues.

When asked if there was any opportunity for more bipartisanship in the new Congress, Rita said, “One could only hope.”