Houston, TX –– The ABPA praises the bipartisan members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce for unanimously advancing the REPAIR Act (H.R. 906) in the recent markup of bills designed to enhance product safety, transparency, supply chains, and American tech leadership. The bipartisan REPAIR Act, sponsored by House Energy and Commerce Member Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL), will provide consumers with expanded repair options by ensuring that vehicle owners can access repair data and tools needed to repair their vehicles.
“It is exciting to see the Right to Repair movement gaining traction in such a bipartisan manner,” ABPA Executive Director Ed Salamy said. “This is not only a win for the automotive repair industry, but most importantly, a win for consumers who simply want to repair their vehicles in a cost-effective way. We have been encouraged by the movement and support for the bill and I thank the members of the subcommittee for advancing this important legislation forward.”
Energy and Commerce Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers “[w]e are at a critical moment where the status quo is no longer acceptable and clear rules are needed.” She added, “I hope we can work together to find the bipartisan solutions to provide ease and accessibility to millions of vehicle owners.”
REPAIR Act sponsor Rep. Dunn said, “When I buy a product, like a house or a stove, it belongs to me and when you buy a product, it belongs to you. But currently, when we buy vehicles, our options to repair and service our own property are diminishing.” He added, “Let’s protect the independent repair industry and the hard-working men and women that they employ as well as the rights of the owners to repair their property where and when they see fit.”
Subcommittee member Representative Lori Trahan (D-MA) said, “The right to repair is an important issue that will decrease costs for consumers, promote competition and innovation and strengthen our economy.”
According to a recent YouGov Survey of 1,000 vehicle owners conducted by the CAR Coalition on June 29 – July 5, 2023, a sizable majority of Americans support a federal vehicle right-to-repair law that would prevent automakers from restricting vehicle owners’ repair options. Americans believe they should be able to decide where and by whom they have their vehicle repaired as well as who has access to their vehicle’s data. They also showed a strong preference for independent repair shops over dealerships.
Key results included:
- 94% want to choose WHERE their vehicle is repaired
- 93% want to choose WHO repairs their vehicle
- 79% are willing to share their vehicle data with independent repair shops
- 75% support legislation preventing auto manufacturers from restricting consumer access to vehicle data
- 74% believe vehicle owners should have access to their vehicle data
- 63% would take their vehicle to an independent repair shop
The ABPA is a proud founding member of the CAR Coalition which is one of the main driving forces behind both the REPAIR and SMART Acts. To tell your Member of Congress to support the REPAIR and SMART Acts, please visit the ABPA website to fill out the contact form and make your voice heard.
About the ABPA
With more than 135 members, the Automotive Body Parts Association (ABPA) occupies over 400 distinctive locations including collision parts distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and parts recycling plants. ABPA’s members are responsible for distributing more than 80 percent of the independently produced aftermarket crash replacement parts sold to the collision repair trade. For more information about the ABPA, visit www.autobpa.com.
