Long-awaited bipartisan housing legislation marks major victory for lumber and building material dealers and the nation’s housing supply.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2026
RENSSELAER, N.Y., July 10, 2026 — President Donald J. Trump announced today that he will not sign the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act after it was presented to the White House. Because the President has neither signed nor vetoed the legislation, the bill is scheduled to become law without the President’s signature, marking one of the most significant federal housing packages in years and delivering a major legislative victory for the lumber and building materials industry.
In a public statement, President Trump said he was declining to sign the housing legislation in protest over the Senate’s failure to pass separate election-related legislation. The President did not indicate that he would veto the bill, allowing it to proceed through the constitutional process by which it is scheduled to become law without his signature.
The legislation builds on months of leadership by the American Building Materials Alliance (ABMA) to advance policies that increase housing affordability and expand the nation’s housing supply. Earlier this year, ABMA provided the White House with a series of policy recommendations to lower construction costs and reduce regulatory barriers to building. Many of those recommendations were reflected in President Trump’s Executive Order, Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction, which directed federal agencies to identify and eliminate regulations that increase housing costs, delay residential development, and limit housing affordability.
The American Building Materials Alliance, its member associations, and industry advocates worked throughout the legislative process to ensure lawmakers understood how excessive regulation, permitting delays, and rising construction costs affect both housing affordability and the businesses that supply America’s builders. During this year’s ABMA Advocacy Day, members from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with members of Congress and their staff, sharing firsthand how federal housing policy impacts independent lumber and building material businesses.
In the final weeks before the bill reached the President’s desk, ABMA leadership and representatives of the Massachusetts Retail Lumber Dealers Association worked closely with the office of Senator Elizabeth Warren through a series of meetings to address outstanding issues and help build the bipartisan support needed to move the legislation across the finish line.
“Today’s enactment is a testament to what our industry can accomplish when it speaks with one voice,” said Rita Ferris, president of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association. “ABMA members worked tirelessly—from providing recommendations to the White House to advocating on Capitol Hill—to advance practical housing reforms. We’re proud to have helped move this legislation across the finish line.”
Implementation of the new law will begin following the expiration of the constitutional review period, with multiple federal agencies—including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, among others—responsible for carrying out the law’s provisions. ABMA and its member associations will continue working with policymakers and federal agencies throughout the implementation process to help ensure the legislation delivers meaningful improvements for builders, suppliers, homebuyers, and the independent lumber and building material businesses that serve communities across America.
“Passing this legislation is an important milestone, but successful implementation will determine its lasting impact,” said Kristina Berano, executive director of the Florida Building Material Association. “We look forward to working with our federal partners to ensure these reforms remove unnecessary barriers, expand housing opportunities, and strengthen the businesses that supply America’s growing communities.”
The legislation is scheduled to become law following the expiration of the President’s constitutional review period, marking the culmination of years of advocacy by the lumber and building materials industry and an important step toward expanding the nation’s housing supply, improving housing affordability, and supporting the independent businesses that serve communities across America.
About the American Building Materials Alliance
The American Building Materials Alliance (ABMA) is a coalition advocating on behalf of the lumber and building materials industry at the federal level, representing LBM dealers and associated businesses across 17 states and Washington, D.C. ABMA is powered by the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA) and the Florida Building Material Association (FBMA).
About the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association
The Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA) represents independent lumber and building material dealers across the Northeast through its network of state and local associations, providing legislative advocacy, education, and member services to the LBM industry.
Contact: Rita Ferris, NRLA president | Direct Line: 518-880-6352 | Email: rferris@nrla.org