Representatives from the California Tire Dealers Association (CTDA) and the Tire Industry Association (TIA) recently traveled to Capitol Hill.
Specifically, CTDA Executive Director Marc Connerly, TIA CEO Dick Gust and TIA Vice President of Government Affairs Roy Littlefield IV participated in five meetings, "spending their time explaining the importance of protecting the rights of tire dealers to perform repairs and the rights of consumers to select their repair shop of choice," according to a statement from CTDA.
"Congressional representatives were urged to co-sponsor or vote in favor of HR 1566 (The REPAIR Act), which was introduced earlier this year and currently has 27 bipartisan congressional co-sponsors, including Kevin Mullin, from the 15th congressional district (San Francisco peninsula) and Ro Khanna representing the 17th congressional district (parts of Santa Clara and Alameda counties).
"Congressional staff members offered no objections to the perspectives offered by the tire industry, but the challenge lies in the formidable opposition provided by the well-funded automobile manufacturers, who are able to throw seemingly limitless amounts of money at the issue in an effort to block the rights and access of small, independent repair shops.
"TIA continues to lead the efforts to promote right to repair at the federal level, accompanied by SEMA and the Automotive Service Association, while CTDA is ramping up efforts to promote the issue to California's congressional delegation.
"California tire dealers who would like a CTDA representative to meet with their representative in congress to share concerns about right to repair are requested to email CTDA Executive Director Marc Connerly at [email protected]. He will be happy to schedule a meeting in the district or by phone with the dealer’s member of Congress."
