Government Affairs Committee Update
NFFS Government Affairs Committee convened on November 25th to review several legislative, regulatory, and trade developments with direct implications for nonferrous foundries. The discussion highlighted meaningful progress on issues the Society has been monitoring closely and identified several evolving policy areas that will shape our advocacy priorities heading into 2026.
Congress & Federal Activity
With the federal government shutdown now resolved, Congress has returned to an active legislative posture. Lawmakers are on track to finalize the annual defense authorization bill—and potentially full-year appropriations—before the end of the calendar year. Of note, the Senate continues to advance a Russia sanctions proposal that would grant the President authority to impose tariffs of up to 500% on purchasers of Russian oil and gas.
Copper received renewed national attention this month as USGS formally added the metal to the U.S. Critical Minerals List, a change long supported by NFFS and other industry stakeholders. This designation will strengthen domestic supply-chain efforts and reinforce the strategic importance of copper-based castings across defense and industrial applications.
Regulatory Developments
OSHA and EPA have resumed inspections following the end of the federal funding lapse, with emphasis on targeted enforcement under existing National Emphasis Programs. EPA finalized its updated Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, and new PFAS reporting requirements were released, including a 0.1% de minimis threshold that will affect reporting practices for many manufacturers.
NFFS continues to track several ongoing regulatory items of concern to our industry, including:
Trade & Tariff Issues
The Committee reviewed a number of active trade matters. The Administration is expected to announce its decision on the Section 232 Aluminum and Steel inclusion petitions on December 6, while discussions continue around possible inclusion of copper under 232 authorities. Work also continues on the Industrial Machinery and Robotics 232 review, though formal action is not anticipated soon.
The White House appears unlikely to initiate new Section 232 actions until after the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling related to IEEPA authority. Semiconductor-related tariffs remain paused to avoid disrupting ongoing U.S.–China negotiations.
Preparations continue for the USMCA Joint Review, scheduled for July 1, 2026. USTR has received more than 1,550 comments and will hold related hearings December 3–5. NFFS is assessing whether industry-specific comments may be warranted.
NFFS will continue to monitor these issues and advocate on behalf of nonferrous foundries as legislative and regulatory actions progress. Please contact us with questions or if your company has input to share with the Government Affairs Committee.