Cut Lumber Tariffs, Lower Home Costs
The United States currently imposes a combined tariff rate of approximately 22% (with rates escalating as high as 45% under recent executive actions) on Canadian softwood lumber — the single largest source of lumber used in U.S. residential construction. Canada supplies roughly 25–30% of all softwood lumber consumed in the United States, and there is no near-term domestic substitute capable of filling that gap at scale.
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and independent analyses, these tariffs add an estimated $8,000–$12,000 to the cost of building a new single-family home. At a time when housing affordability is already at historic lows and the country faces a shortage of millions of housing units, policies that artificially inflate construction costs make the problem significantly worse. Higher builder costs are passed directly to buyers and renters, pricing working- and middle-class families out of the market.
Congress has the authority to conduct oversight of executive trade actions, pass legislation directing the administration to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada, or use the Congressional Review Act and other statutory tools to push back on tariff escalation. Constituents are urging their U.S. Senators and Representatives to use all available legislative levers — including appropriations riders, trade legislation, and direct pressure on the U.S. Trade Representative — to reduce or eliminate the softwood lumber tariff and restore affordability to the housing market.
View Call Scripts
Live Call Script
Hello, I am an assistant calling on behalf of a constituent, {{first_name}} {{last_name}} from {{city}}, {{state}} zip code {{zip_code}}. The constituent is calling to urge {{representative_name}} to take immediate action to reduce or eliminate the U.S. tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. The current combined tariff rate on Canadian softwood lumber is approximately 22%, with recent executive actions pushing it even higher. Because Canada supplies roughly 25–30% of all softwood lumber used in American construction, these tariffs directly increase the cost of building a new home by an estimated $8,000 to $12,000 per unit — costs that are passed on to homebuyers and renters across the country. The constituent is asking {{representative_name}} to: 1. Use congressional oversight authority to scrutinize and push back on tariff escalation on Canadian softwood lumber. 2. Support or sponsor legislation directing the administration to negotiate a new bilateral Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada that reduces or eliminates these duties. 3. Urge the U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize resolution of this trade dispute in the interest of housing affordability. At a time when millions of American families are being priced out of homeownership, the constituent believes Congress must act to remove unnecessary cost barriers from the housing supply chain. They are asking for {{representative_name}}'s position on this issue and what concrete steps they plan to take.
Voicemail Version
I am calling on behalf of {{first_name}} {{last_name}}, a constituent from {{city}}, {{state}} {{zip_code}}. The constituent is calling to urge {{representative_name}} to take action to reduce or eliminate the U.S. tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, which is adding an estimated $8,000 to $12,000 to the cost of building each new home. They are asking {{representative_name}} to support legislation or use congressional oversight authority to press the administration to negotiate a new lumber trade agreement with Canada. With housing affordability at a crisis point, the constituent believes removing this tariff is a critical step toward making homes accessible to working families. You may contact me at {{phone_number}} to discuss further.