Content about Congress

April 5, 2013

Employer representatives have testified before a congressional panel that they support the expansion of the federal government’s E-Verify electronic employment verification system, which experts agree will be a central piece of comprehensive immigration reform.

Employer representatives have testified before a congressional panel that they support the expansion of the federal government’s E-Verify electronic employment verification system, which experts agree will be a central piece of comprehensive immigration reform.

February 28, 2013

A change in federal tax law that decreased the take-home pay of working Americans is affecting household budgets, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF), a trade association.

February 14, 2013

Nobody thought intermittent leave would be a problem when the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted 20 years ago, on Feb. 5, 1993.

Nobody thought intermittent leave would be a problem when the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted 20 years ago, on Feb. 5, 1993.

“The intent behind the law is very good,” noted John Bauer, an employment attorney in Littler Mendelson’s Melville, N.Y., office. But it’s become employers’ No. 1 headache, particularly for small employers, he told SHRM Online on Feb. 1, 2013.

January 17, 2013

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) has released its national legislative and regulatory policy agenda for 2013, which will serve as a guideline for meetings with members of Congress and key administration officials on March 18 to 20.

December 13, 2012

Residential Building Products and Technology is the title of the latest digital venture of Lebhar-Friedman’s Residential Products Group, which also includes HCN and homechannelnews.com. RBPT editor Nigel F. Maynard is no stranger to building products. Learn more at Residentialbuildingproducts.com.

How did you get into this business?

November 2, 2012

By Ben Gann, Director of legislative affairs, NLBMDA

A combination of expiring tax cuts, automatic spending cuts and a need to raise the debt ceiling at the beginning of 2013 has led the United States on the verge of a “fiscal cliff.” Congress is unlikely to address the issue until after the November elections, creating more uncertainty in an already sluggish economy.

October 23, 2012

Following the 2012 election, when Congress convenes to determine whether to extend the federal income tax cuts launched by President George W. Bush, it is unlikely that it will extend the 2010 payroll tax reduction.

Employers need to plan now to update payroll systems to address any changes, and to communicate to employees how their take-home pay might be affected.

August 2, 2012

A new forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA) nearly doubles the expected increase in cement consumption for the year, attributing the boost to both changes in construction activity and the projected amount of cement used in future projects.

A new forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA) nearly doubles the expected increase in cement consumption for the year, attributing the boost to both changes in construction activity and the projected amount of cement used in future projects. Favorable weather conditions during the first half of 2012 was also a key contributor.

PCA revised its spring forecast upward, anticipating a 6.9% increase in 2012 from 2011 levels, followed by a 5.8% jump in 2013 and a double-digit increase of 10.9% increase in 2014.

July 26, 2012

Testifying before Congress about a lack of safe building codes in some states, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety urged legislators to pass a bill that would provide incentives for adopting updates to the International Residential Code (IRC).

July 10, 2012

On June 28, 2012, by a narrow 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on the grounds that the individual mandate penalty is a tax. Because the Constitution clearly gives Congress the ability to impose a tax, the Court ruled, all of the other questions surrounding the mandate are moot.

June 11, 2012

An increase in multi-family mortgage insurance premiums (MIPs), part of the current administration’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal, will slow down construction of apartments in secondary markets, a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) representative told Congress on June 7.

June 8, 2012

An increase in multi-family mortgage insurance premiums (MIPs), part of the current administration’s fiscal 2013 budget proposal, will slow down construction of apartments in secondary markets, a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) representative told Congress on June 7. 

March 30, 2012

Lumberyard owners from around the country carried drafts of S 2148 — the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendment Act — throughout the halls of Congress March 5 to 7, lobbying legislators to pass a more reasonable version of the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair & Painting (LRRP) Rule. More than 110 dealers came to Washington, D.C., for the annual Legislative Conference of the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA).

January 6, 2012

A triumph for the “light bulb freedom” movement, which opposed the phaseout of traditional incandescent bulbs starting Jan. 1, 2012, may turn out to be a hollow victory. Supporters had hoped to delay the implementation of the new energy-efficient light bulb standards with a rider on the 2012 Omnibus funding bill. Congress passed the bill right before Christmas, along with the light bulb rider, which bars the Department of Energy (DOE) from enforcing the planned phaseout of 100-watt energy-inefficient incandescent bulbs.

January 6, 2012

The Federal Reserve, in a Jan. 4 report sent to members of Congress who sit on banking committees, warned that mortgage lending standards are holding back the nation’s economy.  

The 26-page white paper was an unusual foray into the housing sector for an agency concerned primarily with monetary policy. But Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated: “Restoring the health of the housing market is a necessary part of a broader strategy for economic recovery.”  

December 20, 2011

An article in HCN Monday about Congress’ move to delay enforcement of the 100-watt incandescent bulb phaseout generated several comments, many positive.

Here are some of the responses:

“Finally, a small glimmer of sanity in Washington -- listening to the majority of consumers/voters rather than forcing a political agenda.

December 5, 2011

Tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements like insulation, replacement windows, and upgraded HVAC systems will end on Dec. 31, and Congress has not yet renewed them for 2012.

This warning from the Alliance to Save Energy gives homeowners less than a month to take advantage of as much as $500 in tax credits on their 2011 federal tax returns.

December 2, 2011

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) applauded Congress for reinstating the higher conforming loan limits for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) through 2013, helping reduce uncertainty for an already fragile housing market. 

By increasing the loan limits guaranteed by FHA to $729,750, Congress has taken a step to stabilize home values while enabling creditworthy consumers to get home loans with the best mortgage rates, lowest fees and better down payment requirements, the NLBMDA said.

October 13, 2011

The National Retail Federation Wednesday said that legislation introduced in the House to repeal debit card swipe fee reform would cost consumers more than $6 billion a year in savings that merchants plan to pass along to their customers. 

September 28, 2011

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, during a hearing held earlier this year, told Congress: “We’re not Sherwin-Williams paint. We don’t cover the earth equally.”


The exchange confirmed HCN’s position that slogans matter — a case we made in this space back in 2009. Among the notable slogans highlighted here were those of Sherwin-Williams (Cover the Earth), McCoy’s Building Supply (Go Build Something) and Lowe’s (Let’s Build Something Together).


September 28, 2011

Top 100 Distributors list


September 28, 2011
September 15, 2011

The absence of housing initiatives was just one criticism we heard from readers regarding President Obama's $47 billion jobs plan:

September 12, 2011

President Obama’s jobs-creation package, unveiled last week and already en route to Congress, is offering no relief for the housing industry, according to economists interviewed by the Los Angeles Times. 

August 31, 2011

Ben Gann took over his role as the National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) director of legislative affairs and grassroots activities last month. Here’s his first HCN Q&A:

HCN: What are the key issues you’re pushing right now?