WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lumber duties of 7 percent being imposed on softwood imports from Canada were condemned by the National Association of Home Builders.
Granger MacDonald, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, said it would "jeopardize affordable housing" and branded the U.S. Commerce Department’s preliminary decision to impose up to 7.7 percent anti-dumping duties on Canadian lumber imports a tax.
|
ARTICLE
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty (AD) investigation of softwood lumber from Canada.
|
|
“This latest action by the Commerce Department to impose anti-dumping duties of up to more than 7 percent on Canadian lumber shipments into the U.S. is basically another tax on American home builders and home buyers that will jeopardize affordable housing in America. ”
The NAHB chair is also a homebuilder and developer from Kerrville, Texas.
“Adding this new tariff to the proposed 20 percent countervailing lumber duty that the Trump administration slapped on imports of lumber this spring means that total tariffs would be a whopping 27 percent. Given that lumber is a major component in new home construction, the combined duties will harm housing affordability and price countless American households out of the housing market.”
“A robust housing market is essential to stimulate job and economic growth. With the U.S. housing sector regaining its footing, imposing arbitrary protectionist restrictions to subsidize domestic lumber producers will blunt this forward momentum and make homeownership more expensive for hard-working families. Clearly, this is not the way to resolve the U.S.-Canada lumber trade dispute or to boost the American economy.
“The U.S. relies on Canada for approximately one-third of its lumber needs because of the limited domestic timber supply available for harvesting. Policymakers need to take steps to significantly reduce red tape that prevents the U.S. Forest Service from better managing its timber lands and increase the delivery of domestic timber products into the market.”
he National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 700 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.
Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.