Liberals And Conservatives Agree On “Right to Repair”

Automobile repair bills have climbed sharply, and what’s driving costs isn’t inflation or supply chain problems. It’s a scheme that directs car owners to the manufacturer’s repair facility by denying independent repair shops access to the information needed to fix today’s vehicles. Modern vehicles rely on diagnostics, software, vehicle data and tools that independent repair shops can’t access. Why is that access denied?

Because manufacturers want to monopolize repair of vehicles at the expense of community repair shops. Many of those repair shops have been family-owned for generations and they employ almost 5 million Americans that generate $500 billion per year. Half of them, according to The Hill, have been forced to send clients to dealerships jacking up the national cost by $3.1 billion annually.

On average, drivers spend 36% more on repair costs at the dealership than they would at an independent service shop. 77% of vehicles are over seven years old and without right to repair, drivers will be forced to dealerships where costs are higher, taking an estimated $100 billion from drivers’ pockets.

Not only that, but your dealership could void your car’s warranty for a simple modification like an aftermarket air filter, cold air intake, or exhaust system. While these are safe mods, a dealership could easily say that the aftermarket air filter put the car's Mass Air Flow sensor out of alignment, or the free-flow exhaust upset the O2 sensor, causing engine damage. Without the data to prove the dealership was wrong, you’d have to remove the offending modification and install a dealership product.

The Military

The Hill also notes that Defense Secretary Pete “gets it” as early as the summer of 2025. He is now demanding right-to-repair rules for all Army contracts, new and old, so our troops can keep equipment running in war zones without waiting on a corporate help desk. This saves taxpayer dollars, increases readiness and cuts out bureaucratic delays.

The Farmers

The next bureaucracy to “get it” was the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). On 3 June 2025, John Deere sent a letter to EPA requesting the agency issue guidance confirming that temporary emission control overrides are allowed by EPA. The agency’s guidance emerged 60 days later, on 12 August 2025. It was a direct response to the John Deere request and makes clear that temporary overrides are allowed under the Clean Air Act.

On 12 August 2025 Administrator Zeldin announced new guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system software in existing vehicles and equipment. EPA’s action works to protect hard-working American farmers, truckers, and other diesel equipment operators from sudden shutdowns and give them the time to make repairs without impacting productivity or safety.

The EPA website gave itself a well-deserved kudo by further quoting Zeldin, “EPA is proud to set the record straight and protect farmers. For far too long, manufacturers have wrongly used the Clean Air Act to monopolize the repair markets, hurting our farmers. Common sense is following the law as it is written, and that is what the Trump EPA is committed to doing. By protecting every American’s right to repair, we’re not just fixing devices, we’re securing a stronger, more independent future for our country.”

The EPA website also quoted Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “This is another win for American farmers and ranchers by the Trump Administration. By clarifying manufacturers can no longer use the Clean Air Act to justify limiting access to repair tools or software, we are reaffirming the lawful right of American farmers and equipment owners to repair their farm equipment. Thank you, Administrator Zeldin, for continuing to put farmers first. This is expected to save our farmers thousands in unnecessary repairs, saving much needed funds after Bidenflation drove up equipment costs on average 45%.”

The EPA website went on to quote Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “EPA’s guidance affirming the Right to Repair will save our agricultural communities thousands of dollars by eliminating corporate middlemen and empowering farmers to fix their own equipment. The Clean Air Act has long crushed family farmers across America – but under the Trump Administration, they are finally getting the regulatory relief to break free from burdensome Green New Scam rules and focus on the vital job of feeding, clothing, and fueling America and the world.”

The website finally explains what they have done. “EPA’s guidance does not change the law, weaken emission standards, or reduce compliance obligations. Rather, it clarifies what the Clean Air Act already states, that temporary overrides of emission control systems are allowed when it is for the “purpose of repair” to that equipment to obtain proper functionality. This clarification applies to all nonroad diesel engines equipped with advanced emission control technologies including selective catalytic reduction and inducement systems as well as Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system repairs. Importantly, farmers and equipment owners are not required to rely on authorized dealers exclusively to fix equipment. This makes clear that the law should not serve as a barrier to timely, affordable maintenance of agricultural equipment.”

That’s clear. What is not clear is why the EPA did not mandate manufacturers of farm equipment to make their data and tools available to local repair shops.

Now enters our dysfunctional Congress.

Congress

Congress has returned after the Spring recess, and they have a plate full of things to do. Like:

• Ending the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). A compromise seems doomed as the two chambers remain at odds on how to move forward. Democrats have demanded significant reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and parts of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), both under control of DHS, in exchange for supporting new funding. They have tied these demands to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and Nicole Renée Good in Minneapolis by ICE.

The debate between the parties will be endless.

• In the early hours of 17 April, the House passed a bill extending Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) a spying authority that would have expired on 20 April. The Senate passed the bill later in the day by a voice vote to extend the expiry date to 30 April. FISA has raised concerns with its collection of American citizens’ personal data without a warrant. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) pushed back against the bill and endorsed reforms to the law. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said “It’s clear that FISA reforms are necessary.” President Trump asked Congress to pass a “clean” reauthorization of FISA.

Can you imagine the congressional debate on 30 April?

• House Republicans have also pushed for passage of the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a voting bill, as a condition of reforms to ICE and CBP. But Senate Democrats have consistently opposed the proof-of-citizenship along party lines, and the bill does not have a clear path forward.

Disagreement between Democrats and the White House will be endless.

• Another top issue for Congress will be President Trump’s request for a $1.5 trillion military budget -- the largest increase in military spending since World War II. The request suggests that amount could be passed by a two-track process. $1.1 trillion would be passed by the normal appropriations process, and the second process would be a $350 billion reconciliation package that would allow Republicans to bypass a filibuster from Senate Democrats. The administration says it would fund that portion with a $73 billion reduction in non-defense spending.

Imagine congressional debates over what will get the “non-defense” cuts.

• The U.S. and Iran are now in a ceasefire, and it exhibit signs of frailty. That means the war issue will be a focus for Congress again. Democrats, with support of some Republicans, have promised to pursue War Powers Resolutions to curb Trump’s power to wage war with Iran without congressional approval. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) have backed War Powers Resolutions in support of Congress’s constitutional role in declaring war. Republican lawmakers in both chambers, including Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), said they will throw support behind such a measure if hostilities continue after the statutory 60-day window in the War Powers Act.

Trump may end the war in 60 days. Or he may not and chaos will result.

• In an amazing move, Republicans joined Democrats in a resolution to grant amnesty and block deportation of 350,000 Haitian illegal aliens that were brought in by Biden. The final vote on 16 April was preceded by the adoption of a resolution to bring the bill to the floor, which saw seven House Republican defectors join House Democrats. They are Don Bacon (NE); Maria Elvira Salazar (FL); Mike Lawler (NY); Maria Diaz-Balart (FL); Carlos Gimenez (FL); Nicole Malliotakis (NY); and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA). The vote came days after an illegal alien Haitian, Rolbert Joachin, beat a woman to death with a hammer at a gas station in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Supreme Court will overrule Congress. One day. Hopefully.

Where does all those Congressional priorities leave the bill that was written long ago in February for the REPAIR Act? If it is enacted by Congress, the Federal Trade Commission would federalize the issue and create a uniform national standard instead of local state requirements.

Or will 242.3 million licensed drivers in the United States continue to have their pockets picked?