Why Is It So Hard to Pass Legislation?

If you’ve been watching the news, including your Hardwood Federation updates, talking to your members of Congress or attended the annual Federation Fly-in, one thing is crystal clear—passing legislation is harder than ever. While gridlock in Washington is nothing new, the current political climate and the speed and flexibility of policy development under the returning Trump Administration, has added even more complexity to an already cumbersome process. The hardwood industry, like so many others, finds itself waiting on important decisions while policymakers fight over process and priority.

The System is Not Built for Speed. The Founding Fathers did not create a process to move quickly on legislation. The three co-equal branches of government, the deliberate process required to pass legislation, the two-party system which allows for minority dissention (and tools to further slow things down), and the privilege of public engagement all are intended to ensure proposed legislation has a full review before becoming law. More recently, the rise of social media has created further tensions between the parties.

Reconciliation: Big Promise, Bigger Problems. Reconciliation, a powerful tool to pass budget-related legislation with a simple Senate majority, is supposed to streamline action. But this year’s massive reconciliation bill, packed with expiring business tax provisions and new revenue raisers, has become a political lightning rod. Lawmakers are at odds over what stays, what gets cut, and who pays for it. Negotiations have gone late into the night—some running into early morning hours—but progress is slow and compromise elusive.

The Budget Battle. Crafting and passing a federal budget has always involved sausage-making, but in 2025, it’s more like trench warfare. Deep divisions remain between fiscal hawks demanding spending cuts and others pushing for expanded investments in economic growth, including infrastructure and workforce development.

Defense and Division. Even traditionally bipartisan efforts like the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) are now sources of partisan wrangling. While the NDAA has long been seen as “must-pass” legislation, this year’s version has become weighed down by unrelated policy riders, culture war amendments, and broader geopolitical anxieties.

Last year was an unusual year for the Hardwood Federation; we actively engaged on the NDAA in order to get language encouraging adoption of American red oak for use in military truck beds. We also worked to get some troublesome language out of the bill that would have limited harvesting on federal lands. While the NDAA doesn’t usually directly impact the hardwood sector to this degree, its fate is tied to broader legislative momentum. When even the NDAA stalls, it signals trouble for everything else—including Farm Bill reauthorization, export program funding, and rural workforce initiatives critical to our communities.

What It Means for the Hardwood Industry. The Fly-In this year could not have been better timed. With reconciliation negotiations unfolding as our members met face-to-face with over 100 congressional offices and administration officials, we delivered a clear message: our industry needs action—not delay.

We shared real-world stories of how uncertainty affects mills, markets, and jobs. We made the case that international trade policy must support—not strangle—U.S. hardwood exports. We asked for extension of critical tax provisions. And we reminded policymakers that without a functioning legislative process, we all lose.

Your Voice Still Matters. The disfunction in D.C. may seem overwhelming, but our voices carry weight. Every meeting, every phone call, every email helps break through the noise. Advocacy takes persistence. Most of the time, success happens over the course of many months, or even years. The path forward may be tough, but the Hardwood Federation’s commitment to the hardwood industry is tougher.

So while legislation is hard to pass—especially now—it’s not impossible. And with your continued engagement, we’ll keep pushing forward.

 

Dana Lee Cole is the executive director at the Hardwood Federation, a Washington, D.C.-based hardwood industry trade association that represents thousands of hardwood businesses in every state in the United States and acts as the industry advocacy voice on Capitol Hill. She can be reached at dana.cole@hardwoodfederation.com.