The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 2048), introduced in the United States House of Representatives May 3, 2005, is gaining ground on many fronts, according to the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).
To date, there are 41 House co-sponsors. Thirty two members, including Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas), sponsor and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), have expressed their confidence in the bill by returning as main co-sponsors. Nine new co-sponsors have joined the list. There are 25 Democrats, 15 Republicans and one Independent supporting the bipartisan bill.
"The Right to Repair Act is a pro-consumer, pro-safety bill," says David Parde, president of CARE. "It's as American as apple pie. It ensures that motoring consumers have a right in a free-market society to choose where, how and by whom to have their vehicles repaired, whose parts they wish to purchase, even work on their vehicles themselves.
"At this point in the game, we feel confident our bill will continue to move forward. The bill has already had one hearing in June before the Small Business Subcommittee on Workforce, Empowerment and Government Programs, although Energy and Commerce retains jurisdiction.
"The Subcommittee heard testimony on how the bill meets the need for motoring consumers to have a choice in their vehicle repairs and for small business owners to have the ability to compete with car companies on a level playing field," he adds.
For more information, see "TIA supports 'new and improved' Right to Repair Act," June 28, 2005, in the www.moderntiredealer.com news archives.
