In addition, test kits remain a major point of contention with the rule. In September, four senators sent a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy asking what steps the Agency was taking to identify a test kit meeting the rule’s standard for false positives. EPA states the false positive rates for the two Agency approved text kits available nationwide range from 22.5% to 84%; the false positive rate is required to be no more than 10%. EPA is also continuing its efforts to expand the rule to public and commercial buildings despite not having identified a lead hazard present in those structures.
Energy Efficiency, Online Sales Tax and Corporate Tax Reform
Despite failing twice in the Senate in the last Congress, Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) are working to usher energy efficiency legislation through the upper chamber early in 2015. Previous versions of the bill included provisions to ensure that green building ratings systems used by federal agencies do not unfairly exclude certain building materials and require federal mortgage agencies to account for energy efficiency in the appraisal and underwriting processes.
NLBMDA also supports the Marketplace Fairness Act that levels the playing field between stores with physical locations— such as lumberyards—and merchants that sell exclusively online. The legislation, which the Senate passed in the last Congress, would grant states the authority to collect sales tax on online purchases made by consumers in their state.
Finally, both the White House and Republican congressional leaders have expressed an interest on tackling corporate tax reform. NLBMDA is monitoring the negotiations and America’s small businesses could be greatly affected if the tax treatment of S corporations is changed as part of corporate tax reform. Dealers are encouraged to come to the nation’s capital to discuss legislative issues affecting the LBM industry with their lawmakers at the NLBMDA 2015 Spring Meeting and Legislative Conference, March 23 through March 25 in Washington, D.C.