Three Oklahoma members of the U.S. House were among nearly 100 asking US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai to do more to bring about lower costs for lumber in the US.
Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern led the bipartisan letter after his discussion with Ambassador Tai at last week’s House Ways and Means hearing on US trade policy.
In the letter, the total of 98 Representatives called on Tai to represent American interests on the “critical issue by pursuing a balanced agreement with Canada.”
The House members expressed concerns over sharp increases in the cost of lumber, noting that “prices have skyrocketed more than 300% since last spring” and that construction remained an essential activity during the coronavirus crisis.
“We consider such a balanced agreement to be in the interest of the United States because it would provide predictability for lumber producers and homebuilders,” wrote the members of Congress.
The representatives explained that the index of house prices in December 2020 had risen 10.2% over the year and 1.5% in October.
Including Rep. Hern and Democrat co-lead Rep. Brian Higgins, 96 Members of Congress signed the letter along with Oklahoma Reps. Tom Cole and Stephanie Bice.
The additional 94 Members of Congress on the bipartisan letter are:
Devin Nunes (R-CA), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), David Schweikert (R-AZ), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Tom Reed (R-NY), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John B. Larson (D-LA), Ron Kind (D-WI), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Bradley S. Schneider (D-IL), Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Blake Moore (R-UT), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Donald J. Bacon (R-NE), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Ed Case (D-HI), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Greg Steube (R-FL), John Curtis (R-UT), Jim Banks (R-IN), Rick W. Allen (R-GA), David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Anthony Gonzales (R-OH), David Kustoff (R-TN), David G. Valadao (R-CA), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Bill Posey (R-FL), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Scott Perry (R-PA), Roger Williams (R-TX), William Timmons (R-SC), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Scott Franklin (R-FL), J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Ben Cline (R-VA), John Yarmuth (D-KY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Scott H. Peters (D-CA), Louis Gohmert (R-TX), Cindy Axne (D-IA), Chip Roy (R-TX), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Greg Pence (R-IN), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Young Kim (R-CA), John Rose (R-TN), French Hill (R-AR), Jim Hagedorn (R-MN), Mark Green, M.D. (R-TN), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), Tom Cole (R-OK), Steve Womack (R-AR), Ken Buck (R-CO), Marianette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Peter Meijer (R-MI), Warren Davidson (R-OH), James Comer (R-KY), Jim Baird (R-IN), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Sharice L. Davids (D-KS), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Ted W. Lieu (D-CA), Andy Barr (R-KY), and Tom Emmer (R-MN).