NEWS

On January 31, President Trump issued the Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation executive order. The aggressive executive order includes a requirement that for each new regulation issued, at least ten prior regulations must be eliminated, and imposes a "significantly less than zero" incremental cost cap for all new regulations.

PHOTO © Daniel Torok

In this quarter's design-focused Surface & Panel magazine, DHA highlights the natural aesthetics and versatility of hardwood plywood, hardwood veneer, and engineered wood flooring in our quarterly column. In addition to the feature in Surface & Panel, the North American Building Material Distribution Association requested permission to feature the article and will publish it on their Channel Connection website, Hub & Spoke website, and in their monthly newsletter.

On February 13, President Trump signed a memorandum ordering the development of a comprehensive plan "for restoring fairness in U.S. trade relationships and countering non-reciprocal trading arrangements." According to the White House, the plan would equalize U.S. tariffs to those of trading partners and consider non-tariff barriers as well as value-added taxes imposed on imports from the U.S.

PHOTO © USCBP

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XVIII, Issue III: Trump Announces Tariffs On Imports From Canada & Mexico | Canada Announces Retaliatory Tariffs That Include Hardwoods | DHA’s Position On Tariffs | Bipartisan Bill Downgrades China's Trade Status

A bipartisan bill, "Restoring Trade Fairness Act," introduced in the House, would revoke China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations status. That status effectively classifies China as a free trade partner. The bill would revoke many of the low tariff rates China currently enjoys and create a minimum 35% tariff on the value of non-strategic goods and a minimum 100% tariff on the value of strategic goods. If passed, the new tariffs would be phased in over five years.