The only ones who truly benefit from the #WarMachine are #Corporations! And this is further proof! My uncle was in the US Army and when he was discharged, he could fix just about anything electro-mechanical! But nooooo... We can't have folks fixing stuff themselves -- just buy new ones and waste #taxpayer money!

Congress Quietly Kills Military “#RightToRepair,” Allowing #Corporations to Cash In on *Fixing* Broken Products

Both chambers included Pentagon budget provisions for a right to repair, but they died after defense industry meetings on Capitol Hill.

by Matt Sledge, December 9 2025

"The idea of a 'right to repair' — a requirement that companies facilitate consumers’ #repairs, #maintenance, and modification of products — is extremely popular, even winning broad, bipartisan support in Congress. That could not, however, save it from the #MilitaryIndustrial complex.

"#Lobbyists succeeded in killing part of the National Defense Authorization Act [#NDAA] that would have given service members the right to fix their equipment in the field without having to worry about military suppliers’ intellectual property.

"The decision to kill the popular proposal was made public Sunday after a closed-door conference of top congressional officials, including defense committee chairs, along with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

"Those meetings were secret, but consumer advocates say they have a pretty good idea of what happened.

" 'It’s pretty clear that defense contractors opposed the right-to-repair provisions, and they pressed hard to have them stripped out of the final bill,' said Isaac Bowers, the federal legislative director at #USPIRG. 'All we can say is that #DefenseContractors have a lot of influence on Capitol Hill.'

"The idea had drawn bipartisan support in both the House and Senate, which each passed their own versions of the proposal.

"Under one version, co-sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mt., defense companies would have been required to supply the information needed for repairs — such as technical data, maintenance manuals, engineering drawings, and lists of replacement parts — as a condition of Pentagon contracts.

"The idea was that no service member would ever be left waiting on a contractor to fly in from Norway to repair a simple part — which once happened — or, in another real-life scenario, told by the manufacturer to buy a new CT scanner in a combat zone because one malfunctioned.

"Instead of worrying about voiding a warranty, military personnel in the field could use a 3D printer or elbow grease to fix a part.

" 'The military is a can-do operation,' Bowers said. 'Service members can and should be able to repair their own equipment, and this will save costs if they can do it upfront and on time and on their schedule.' "

Read more:
https://theintercept.com/2025/12/09/congress-military-ndaa-right-to-repair/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/54Nro

#EndlessWar #Corporatocracy #CorporateColonialism #USInvasions #USPol #ContractorProfiteering #LockheedMartin #Boeing #NationalDefenseAuthorizationAct

All 50 States Have Now Pushed ‘Right To Repair’ Laws, But Actual Enforcement Is Spotty At Best

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.techdirt.com/2025/03/10/all-50-states-have-now-pushed-right-to-repair-laws-but-actual-enforcement-is-spotty-at-best/

#Maine’s #RightToRepair law for cars wins with 84 percent of the vote

by Wes Davis, Nov 8, 2023

"The right-to-repair movement gained a significant victory yesterday as a Maine law regarding auto repair rights won over 84 percent public support, according to Ballotpedia’s unofficial tally. As 404 Media reported, the 'Question 4' measure asked if voters want auto manufacturers to enable owners and their preferred mechanics to access their car’s diagnostics systems. Voters said yes.

"Maine follows four states that enacted new right-to-repair laws this year. In #California, a law signed into effect last month now guarantees seven years of parts for #electronics and #appliances.

"Both #Minnesota and #Colorado passed repair laws pertaining largely to #electronics and #FarmEquipment, respectively, as well as exemptions for certain modifications in Colorado and specific product categories in Minnesota, including medical devices and motor vehicles. Neither law’s exceptions were as objectionable to right-to-repair advocates as the New York state law passed last year that exempted entire industries and enterprise products.

"One exclusion in Maine’s law lets carmakers offer a secure portal where owners and independent mechanics can look up how to reset a car’s security features rather than publicizing that information. The law requires that automakers standardize unfettered 'access to the vehicle on-board diagnostic systems of all motor vehicles' for owners and independent mechanics.

There’s more specific language for heavy-duty vehicles, such as a requirement for automakers to sell tools and parts for 2002 vehicles that weigh over 14,000 pounds, and a requirement for a 'motor vehicle telematics system notice' for car buyers to explain how access to the car’s data works.

"Manufacturers would be allowed to require authorization to access diagnostics systems, but only with a standardized procedure approved by a third-party panel of industry representatives from car companies, independent repair shops, aftermarket parts makers, and others.

"The head of consumer rights group #USPIRG’s right to repair project, Nathan Proctor, said to #404Media that people support the right to repair 'because it’s common sense—at least to those who aren’t manufacturers.' Tim Winkeler, who runs VIP Tire and Service in Auburn, Maine, told News Center Maine that the vote will let Maine families 'rely on their local repair shop, who knows them and their vehicle.'"

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/8/23952928/maine-right-to-repair-law-passed-auto-repair-diagnostics

#RightToRepair #RepairReuseRecycle #PlannedObsolescence