Liz Warren, Trump admin agree on something: Army should have right to repair

As military memo makes it official policy

The US Army intends to secure the right to repair its own equipment, a right that hasn't always been available under past procurement contracts - and one of the very few things that Democrats in Congress and the Trump administration broadly agree upon.

US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and General Randy A. George, US Army Chief of Staff, on Thursday announced an Army Transformation Initiative based on an April 30 memo [PDF] from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

While much of the focus is on White House cost-cutting goals, the note directs Army leaders to "identify and propose contract modifications for right to repair provisions where intellectual property constraints limit the Army's ability to conduct maintenance and access the appropriate maintenance tools, software, and technical data – while preserving the intellectual capital of American industry."

The right to repair technology products has long been a matter of contention for consumer electronics, agricultural equipment, medical equipment, automobiles, and even military hardware.

The problem is that makers of technology products have various legal and technical mechanisms to hinder third-party repair efforts, and have heavy incentives to deny or limit competition for parts and repair services - the harder something is to repair, the more likely you'll just buy a new one when the old one breaks. Companies including Apple and John Deere have lobbied extensively against proposed right to repair laws.

Objections to third-party repairs often cite safety concerns, which while self-serving may also be valid. For example, an Air Force inquiry into the 2020 fatal crash of an Air Force F-16 has suggested that electronic parts used in the pilot's ejection seat may have been counterfeit, according to the Air Force Times. A lawsuit [PDF] alleging as much was filed against Lockheed Martin and other contractors in 2022 and is still being litigated.

Product owners, however, have fought back and in the past few years have managed to get right to repair laws covering different types of products passed in several states, including Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, California, Oregon, and Colorado. Repair bills are pending in other states and the movement has also taken root abroad, with right-to-repair rules enacted in the UK and the EU.

The right to repair is one of relatively few high-profile issues in the US that has bipartisan support. For example, last month US Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced the REPAIR Act to make vehicles easier to repair.

And now the Army, after several years of public calls for more sustainable procurement, has made repairability a priority.

During Driscoll's nomination hearing in January, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) described how the Army last year needed a new cover for a safety clip, only to be told by the contracted supplier that the order would take months and cost $20 per clip.

"Now, thankfully, the Army had managed to keep right-to-repair restrictions out of this contract and was able to 3D-print the part in less than an hour for a total cost of 16 cents," said Warren, who then invited Driscoll to voice his opinion about whether saving time and money would help US military readiness.

Driscoll endorsed the proposition "unequivocally" and subsequently elaborated, "If we think about engagement with a peer like China, being able to repair our parts in areas around the world will be crucial to that. And, if we are having six-month delays in CONUS [the continental United States] and paying 100x the rate, that is not scalable in an actual conflict, and so I’m totally supportive, Senator."

The non-profit US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), an advocate for broader repair rights, last November published accounts of repair problems reported by US veterans. The retired soldiers describe challenges they faced fixing critical medical equipment and a chemical analyzer in the field due to delays contacting vendors, contractual limitations, or to obstacles like lack of access to documentation.

In December, 2024, Warren and House Rep Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act to empower military personnel to repair their own gear. The bill awaits consideration by the House Armed Services Committee.

And in July 2024, Warren also added a repair provision [PDF] to the Senate Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that targets Pentagon contractors. Lobbying by more than 60 trade groups [PDF] got the offending passage (Section 828 of S. 4638) removed from the final bill [PDF].

Warren on Thursday welcomed Driscoll's policy announcement.

"I pushed the Army Secretary to get right-to-repair in the Army done, and I’m glad he kept his word," she said in a statement. "This reform means the Army will be more resilient in future wars, and it will end the days of soldiers being dependent on giant defense contractors charging billions and taking months and months to get the equipment they need repaired."

Warren went on to urge the other US military services to follow the Army's lead.

Isaac Bowers, federal legislative director for PIRG, also hailed Driscoll's commitment.

"This is a victory in our work to let people fix their stuff, and a milestone on the campaign to expand the Right to Repair," he said in a statement. "It will save the American taxpayer billions of dollars, and help our service members avoid the hassle and delays that come from manufacturers’ repair restrictions." ®