Sen Luján, Reps Morelle, Gluesenkamp Perez Continue Fight for Consumers’ Right to Repair

Sen Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Reps Joe Morelle (D-NY) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) introduced the Fair Repair Act, legislation to guarantee consumers and small businesses a right to repair their own products by requiring manufacturers to make diagnostic repair information, parts, and tools readily available. Currently, many electronics manufacturers require that repairs, or parts to complete a repair, be made by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) itself or through one of their authorized vendors, making the process costly and burdensome for consumers. The Fair Repair Act will require OEMs to make diagnostic and repair information, parts, and tools available to third-party repairers and owners in a timely manner and on fair and reasonable terms, helping consumers and repair shops to avoid unnecessary and costly delays while also reducing waste. Research by U.S. PIRG suggests enaction of the Fair Repair Act could reduce household spending on electronics by 22 percent, leading to a savings of around $330 per year for each family and approximately $40 billion of total savings nationally per year.