The President commends the Senate for passing health insurance reform. White House Photo, Chuck Kennedy)

Builders Warn of Debilitating Provision in Health Care Bill

As Congress moves to craft a final health care bill in the coming weeks, NAHB is leading the fight with other like-minded business groups to strip a jobs-killing provision in Senate legislation H.R. 3590 that would derail the fragile housing and economic recovery by placing a major financial burden on builders. The measure was approved by the Senate on Christmas eve by a 60 to 39 vote.

Language offered by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and slipped into the Senate health care legislation at the last minute unfairly targets small construction firms with more than five workers by requiring them to provide health care coverage or face stiff fines. Meanwhile, small businesses in all other industries would be exempt from providing mandatory health coverage if they employ 50 workers or less. ...

Builders Head to IBS in Search of New Financing Resources

Builders looking for new sources of finance are continuing to sign up for the Partnership Pavilion the week before the unprecedented NAHB resource is unveiled at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

At the innovative Partnership Pavilion located in Hall N-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, NAHB members attending the IBS will have the opportunity to meet individually with a variety of capital sources and financing advisors to explore financing solutions for their projects through debt and equity positions, joint ventures and partnerships and traditional sources of housing credit. ...

NAHB Lawsuit on Santa Cruz River to Remain in D.C. Court

A preliminary motion on Dec. 30 by the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. sided with NAHB in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency with major ramifications for federal regulation of bodies of water around the country under the Clean Water Act.

NAHB is challenging the government’s determination that the Santa Cruz River is a traditional navigable body of water, and the EPA sought to move the case to Arizona, where the river is located. ...

Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published Jan. 18 or Jan. 25

Nation's Building News will not be published Jan. 18 or Jan, 25 while NBN staff members are attending the 2010 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas. NBN publication will resume Feb. 1 and include reports from the show.