US Congress quietly kills "right to repair" for military equipment, allowing corporations to cash in on maintenance and repairs. Despite bipartisan support in the House and Senate, defense contractors successfully lobbied against a key provision that would have given service members the right to fix their own equipment without having to rely on the manufacturer or contractor.
The proposal, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), aimed to simplify repairs by allowing service members to access technical data, maintenance manuals, and replacement parts for their equipment. This would have saved time and money, while also reducing waste and minimizing the need for expensive contractor support.
Instead, defense contractors effectively blocked the provision, citing concerns about intellectual property protection and the potential for manufacturers to limit access to sensitive information. The decision was made in secret by top congressional officials, including Defense Committee Chairs, Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, without being publicly disclosed until after a closed-door conference.
Consumer advocates argue that defense contractors have too much influence on Capitol Hill, allowing them to push back against common-sense reforms like the "right to repair" provision. The proposal was supported by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tim Sheehy, who argued that no service member should ever be left waiting for contractor support in a combat zone.
The Pentagon's budget is largely comprised of operations and maintenance costs, which account for 40 percent of its spending. The proposal aimed to reduce these costs by allowing service members to perform simple repairs using 3D printers or elbow grease. However, defense contractors saw the provision as a threat to their profit margins, with one association claiming that it could "cripple innovation" and force them to hire expensive contractors for repairs.
As a result of the lobbying efforts, the "right to repair" provision has been effectively killed in the current bill. However, some officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have expressed support for similar provisions in new contracts going forward. The proposal could still be revived in future bills or implemented as internal Pentagon policies.
The decision highlights the significant influence of defense contractors on Congress and the challenges of implementing common-sense reforms in the face of corporate lobbying. As The Intercept notes, this is not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader trend of authoritarianism and erosion of democratic institutions under President Trump's leadership.
The proposal, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), aimed to simplify repairs by allowing service members to access technical data, maintenance manuals, and replacement parts for their equipment. This would have saved time and money, while also reducing waste and minimizing the need for expensive contractor support.
Instead, defense contractors effectively blocked the provision, citing concerns about intellectual property protection and the potential for manufacturers to limit access to sensitive information. The decision was made in secret by top congressional officials, including Defense Committee Chairs, Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, without being publicly disclosed until after a closed-door conference.
Consumer advocates argue that defense contractors have too much influence on Capitol Hill, allowing them to push back against common-sense reforms like the "right to repair" provision. The proposal was supported by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tim Sheehy, who argued that no service member should ever be left waiting for contractor support in a combat zone.
The Pentagon's budget is largely comprised of operations and maintenance costs, which account for 40 percent of its spending. The proposal aimed to reduce these costs by allowing service members to perform simple repairs using 3D printers or elbow grease. However, defense contractors saw the provision as a threat to their profit margins, with one association claiming that it could "cripple innovation" and force them to hire expensive contractors for repairs.
As a result of the lobbying efforts, the "right to repair" provision has been effectively killed in the current bill. However, some officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have expressed support for similar provisions in new contracts going forward. The proposal could still be revived in future bills or implemented as internal Pentagon policies.
The decision highlights the significant influence of defense contractors on Congress and the challenges of implementing common-sense reforms in the face of corporate lobbying. As The Intercept notes, this is not an isolated incident but rather part of a broader trend of authoritarianism and erosion of democratic institutions under President Trump's leadership.
like wat do defense contractors have 2 say so anyway? 40% of pentagon budget goes 2 operations & maintenance costs & now they wanna keep makin profits from repairs too? it just dont seem right 
can't these defense contractors just chill out for once? they're like "intellectual property protection" but it's just code for we don't want you to fix our stuff ourselves lol. i mean, 40% of the Pentagon's budget goes towards ops and maintenance costs which is already a lot, do they really need us to hire their contractors again for every little thing? 
. anyway, i'm glad some officials are still supporting the idea, maybe we can get this passed next time around 
. And yeah, I know some officials are still pushing for similar provisions, so maybe there's hope yet... 
I cant believe these ppl in congress are so against service members being able to fix their own equipment! Theyre literally making billions offa these military contracts & they dont want anyone to question how they get the best deal? Its all about profit over people 
. And what really gets me is that its not even like it would have cost more for them to access some tech info or parts 
We need to hold these defense contractors accountable for their greed 
BUT NO, THEY'VE GOT TOO MUCH INFLUENCE OVER CONGRESS AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA KEEP MAKING LOTS OF MONEY OFF OF US FOR YEARS TO COME. 
And let's be real, defense contractors have been making bank for years without needing this provision. The fact that they lobbied it out of the bill is just proof that they're more powerful than Congress right now 
this whole thing just feels so...corporate 
and what really gets me is that this is happening in secret 
behind closed doors with no transparency or accountability 
it's like a private club where corporations get to make the rules, and we're just along for the ride 
.
. i guess that's what happens when corporations have way too much influence over our elected officials 
. that's just basic human decency 
.
It's like they're more interested in lining their pockets than keeping our nation safe. 
shouldn't service members have that kinda freedom to do things on their own? but nope, defense contractors are all about keepin' those sweet, sweet profits 
, you can pretty much shut down anything that might cut into your profits