What Roofers Need to Know About New Mortgage Insurance Rules, Tariffs, and OSHA Regulations

,Tile Roofing Industry Alliance Lobbyist, Craig Brightup, has provided the latest government relations update and activities on the following from March 2026:


Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Update Mortgage Rules Including Roofs  
The Federal Housing Finance Agency regulates Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Federal Home Loan Banks which are government-sponsored enterprises providing over $8.5 trillion for U.S. mortgage markets.  Recently revised Fannie Mae/Freddie Mack mortgage rules for homeowners insurance now allow Actual Cash Value for roofs rather than the previous full Replacement Cost Value coverage per their joint press release: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Remove Certain Homeowners Insurance Requirements That Will Reduce Costs | FHFA.
 
IEEPA Tariff Refunds
On Feb. 20, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued a 6-3 decision that President Trump’s tariffs using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) are not legal.  President Trump then supplanted the IEEPA tariffs with 10% tariffs under Sec. 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which are limited to 150 days unless extended by Congress (which won’t happen).  The Administration is using the 150-day window to hustle up replacement tariffs under Sec. 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Sec. 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.  It also must deal with IEEPA tariff refunds, and a judge on the Court of International Trade has given Customs and Border Protection until April 20 to devise a system for over 300,000 entities that have paid IEEPA tariffs.
 
Regulatory Reform

• NLRB Joint-Employer Rule: the National Labor Relations Board withdrew Biden’s joint-employer rule and reinstated a Trump 1.0 rule on when a company is a joint employer under the National Labor Relations Act.
• DOL Joint-Employer Rule: the Wage and Hour Division is expected to publish a new rule on joint-employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family and Medical Leave Act.  
• DOL Independent Contractor Rule: the Dept. of Labor released a proposed rulemaking to rescind Biden’s independent contractor regulations and replace them with Trump 1.0 regulations.
• OSHA Heat Rule:  15 Republican Senators sent a letter to the Sec. of Labor urging that the Biden Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Rule be “ditched.” 
• EPA GHG Endangerment Finding: the Environmental Protection Agency revoked a 2009 endangerment finding that determined carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health.

 
DHS Shutdown
With eleven of twelve appropriations bills for FY26 enacted through Sept. 30, Senate Democrats balked at funding the Dept. of Homeland Security over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issues.  Thus, a DHS shutdown has been in effect since Feb. 13 impacting the Coast Guard, FEMA, Secret Service, and TSA.  Ironically, ICE isn’t impacted due to funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and some ICE agents could be detailed to airports to fill in for missing TSA personnel.


For more information on the TRIA Alliance and our Government Relations efforts, please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org.