U.S. Reps. Fred Keller (R-PA) and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) were among nine Congress members who are urging House Leadership to provide additional relief to the hardwood industry. The industry is struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In their letter, the lawmakers listed the tools the industry needs to remain operational and begin to recover economically.
“The U.S. hardwood industry is fully integrated from logging to manufacturing finished consumer goods including flooring, cabinets, and moldings,” the letter said. “The tissue and paper supplies made of residual chips and dust and the industrial mats, shipping pallets, and railway ties made from hardwood lumber play a crucial role in helping our economy recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19. Specifically, the hardwood industry is responsible for approximately 1.8 million jobs in mostly rural areas.”
The letter also included a comment by Dana Lee Cole, Hardwood Federation executive director. The federation is the nation’s largest hardwood industry trade association.
“The U.S. hardwood industry has been severely impacted by the double blows struck by the U.S.-China trade dispute and the COVID-19 crisis,” Cole said. “The efforts of these Members of Congress to provide relief to the great American companies that are the backbone of so many rural economies is essential to the future of the industry.”