WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced a bill to exclude homebuilding materials from Donald Trump’s tariffs and help lower home construction costs. The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act would automatically exempt many homebuilding materials from Trump’s current and future tariffs and allow importers to apply for tariff exemptions on homebuilding materials that aren’t automatically exempted.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision declaring many of Trump’s broad, cost-raising tariffs illegal, Trump doubled down and implemented a new 10% tariff on global imports, including critical homebuilding materials, which could make it more expensive to build new housing and address the shortage of affordable units in Nevada.
“The shortage of housing that Nevadans can afford is squeezing hardworking families’ budgets. We know that one way to address the affordable housing crisis is by making it easier and cheaper for developers to build more housing – but Trump has done the complete opposite over the past year by imposing cost-raising tariffs on virtually all homebuilding materials,” said Senator Rosen. “The Supreme Court found many of his tariffs illegal, but it’s clear that he’ll use the many other tariff authorities at his disposal to continue imposing them on Nevadans. That’s why I’m introducing this bill to exempt homebuilding materials from Trump’s additional taxes and prevent him from making the housing crisis even worse.”
“President Trump’s tariffs are making it more expensive to build homes in America, and it’s driving up the cost of housing for everyone,” said Senator Coons. “In a housing crisis, this is the last thing we should be doing. The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act will bring home building costs down so more Americans can afford the dream of homeownership.”
“The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) commends Sens. Jacky Rosen and Chris Coons for working to address the housing affordability crisis by introducing legislation that would create an exemption process for building materials from tariffs,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens. “Roughly 60% of builders have already seen cost increases due to tariffs, which means higher housing costs for American home buyers and renters. This bill is an important step forward to create more certainty for American businesses and to address the nation’s housing affordability challenges.”
“Lack of supply is one of the key drivers of our nation’s affordable housing crisis, and tariffs on essential building materials only make it harder to build the homes Americans need,” said David Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference (NHC). “By establishing a clear, timely process to exclude housing construction materials from tariffs, the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act will lower building and preservation costs, ease supply chain pressures, and help ensure trade policy does not worsen affordability challenges as we work to expand housing supply nationwide. NHC applauds Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) for their leadership on this important legislation to improve housing affordability and increase supply in every community.”
“Tariffs are a hidden tax on American consumers, driving up the cost of everyday life. Housing is Exhibit A: tariffs add thousands of dollars to the cost of a single house, putting the American Dream further out of reach,” said Gabe Horwitz, Head of the Economic Program at Third Way. “At a time when families are already stretched thin, Washington should be lowering costs—not raising them. We’re glad to see Senators Rosen and Coons step up and take that fight on and applaud them for their leadership,”
“The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) is proud to support the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act. Lumber and building material dealers operate within a supply chain that depends on stable and predictable trade policy,” said Jonathan M. Paine, CAE, President & CEO of the National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association. “Tariffs on essential construction inputs have been shown to increase costs, create market volatility, and can delay or discourage new housing starts. By establishing a transparent and timely exclusion process for critical homebuilding materials, the Housing Tariff Exclusion Act will help stabilize prices, strengthen supply chains, and support the increased construction activity needed to improve housing affordability nationwide.”
“Tariffs on building materials increase the cost of delivering housing,” said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth Action. “When core input costs rise, financing tightens, projects stall, and fewer homes get built. In the midst of a housing shortage, we cannot afford policies that make it harder to build. Establishing a clear and timely exclusion process for critical building materials is a practical step that Congress can take to support housing production and improve affordability. We appreciate Senators Rosen and Coons for advancing a targeted solution that removes policy-driven obstacles to building.”
The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act is cosponsored by Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).
Senator Rosen has been a leader in the fight to overturn Trump’s reckless tariffs. Earlier this week, she helped introduce a bill to require the Trump Administration to issue full refunds for importers, including small businesses, that paid fees because of his illegal tariffs. Last year, she introduced a bill to eliminate tariffs on groceries and help lower food prices, but Senate Republicans blocked her efforts to pass the bill by unanimous consent. Senator Rosen has voted several times in the Senate to overturn Trump’s tariffs, including on Brazil and Canada. She has also joined colleagues in a series of amicus briefs calling on federal courts to strike down Trump’s illegal tariffs.
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