Right To Repair

Congress to hold Right to Repair hearing

Small Business Subcommittee on Underserved, Agricultural, and Rural Business Development will hear from repair advocates, small repair businesses

U.S. Capitol building in D.C.
Public Domain | Pixabay.com

When something breaks, you fix it. That’s just common sense. But manufacturers of everything from phones to appliances to tractors intentionally make things difficult to repair. The result, surging repair costs and a massive amount of waste. For example, Americans dispose of some 416,000 cell phones every day. And that’s just phones. Continuing to produce, consume and dispose of electronics at this rate is simply not sustainable.

After years of pushing on Right to Repair — raising awareness, compiling research and working to support state campaigns — Congress is taking a closer look.

The Small Business Subcommittee on Underserved, Agricultural, and Rural Business Development will be holding an informational hearing on Wednesday, September 14  to discuss Right to Repair, and the impacts of repair restrictions on small businesses and entrepreneurs. Committee members will hear from experts and small business owners about industry practices that restrict repair, how those practices harm independent businesses, and what policy proposals already exist to address these issues. PIRG will also be sharing testimony from individual repair businesses in rural and underserved areas to the Committee prior to the hearing, in order to demonstrate the public support for finding a resolution to these issues.

Tune in here to watch the hearing livestream at 10:00am EST on Wednesday, September 14.

Tell the FTC: Stand up for Right to Repair

Right to repair

Tell the FTC: Stand up for Right to Repair

It's harder than it should be to fix our stuff. Manufacturers of every electronic product from toasters to tractors create barriers that stymie repair from owners or independent repair businesses. It's fueling a rise in electronic waste, the loss of independent repair businesses -- and ultimately more cost and more waste for consumers.

FTC: I support Right to Repair

Sam Reinert

Former Federal Legislative Advocate, The Public Interest Network

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