SOUTHEASTERN LUMBER MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

SLMA is part of the Waters Advocacy Coalition (WAC), which has been working with Congress and the Trump Administration on ensuring conformity with the Sackett Supreme Court decision. WAC will be submitting formal comments under the WOTUS Notice: The Final Response to SCOTUS; Establishment of a Public Docket; Request for Recommendations, EPA-HQ-OW-2025-0093 in the coming weeks.

SLMA is continuing to lobby on behalf of the Forestry title for the Farm Bill, and have discussed reintroduction of H.R.5044 - Timber Innovation for Building Rural Communities Act from the 118th Congress for this Congress. SLMA is also advocating for full appropriations funding for the Wood Innovations Grant (WIG) program that is housed within the US Forest Service.

SLMA has met with the House, Senate and White House this quarter on issues regarding the Tax portion of the Budget Reconciliation process, which includes making 199A permanent, extending R&D tax provisions, abolishment or reform of the Death/Estate Tax, and ensuring more parity with the corporate rate for small businesses and "S Corps" has it relates to SLMA's members.

SLMA has met with the House of Representatives to discuss an extension for FY26 for increased mass timber utilization and further exertion of the sustainable building materials pilot program from Section 2861 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2022 (Public Law 117-81).