The Hardwood Federation produces a “D.C. Cheat Sheet” newsletter to keep the industry up-to-date on the latest news from Washington D.C. Check out the May 14th edition below and sign up to receive your copy.
Hardwood Federation Fly-In Registration Now Open! Hotel Block Ends May 18: The annual Hardwood Federation Fly-In to D.C. will take place on June 9-10, 2026. This is a great year to visit our nation’s capital…not only is it a chance to share your insights, concerns, and opportunities with your members of Congress, it is also a great way to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday. Washington will be in full celebration mode in June, with plenty of special events to enjoy. Our agenda this year is tight and focused to make the best use of your valuable time. As in the past, we will start with a welcome reception on Tuesday, June 9 and spend Wednesday, June 10 on Capitol Hill meeting with your elected officials. We will end the day with two select PAC events for our friends on both sides of the aisle.
Our top issues for the Fly-In will be 1) Economic Relief for Hardwood Processors, 2) Increased Truck Weights on Federal Highways, and 3) Farm Bill Wood Innovation and Energy programs.
A limited block of rooms is available at the Fly-In host hotel, the Embassy Suites D.C. Convention Center. Click here to register for the Fly-In TODAY!
Transportation Bill May Move Next Week: We are still hearing that the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee plans on marking up a surface transportation reauthorization measure—colloquially known as the Highway Bill—next week likely on May 20. Committee staff have been keeping a close hold on information but what we have learned is that a briefing of committee members’ staff (legislative assistants with transportation portfolios) is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow where committee staff will walk through provisions of the reauthorization bill. The minority still has not signed off on the measure. If that remains the case the timeline for consideration may slip again to allow more negotiations. We remain optimistic that truck weight reform language will be included in the underlying bill.
Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Still Alive: As we have reported, an amendment to the Farm Bill reauthorization measure that passed the House a couple of weeks ago that would have broadened the definition of “renewable biomass” so that fuels derived from woody biomass could qualify for the RFS failed narrowly on the House floor. The effort continues in the Senate, where we have learned that Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee Chairman John Boozman is working closely with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) on compromise definitional language to help build support for this effort. An agreement on exact language has not yet been forged, but we understand the focus is on federal lands and building in protections for “old growth” and timber stands on other sensitive areas of our country’s federal forest holdings. The goal is to come to an agreement on language and include a provision in the Senate’s Farm Bill reauthorization measure. Again, the situation is fluid, but we will keep you posted. The Hardwood Federation team continues to advocate in support of broadening the definition to help create markets for our residuals.
Source: Hardwood Federation