NFIB State Director Jim Brown writes in today’s edition of the Knoxville News Sentinel that Congress needs to pass the REPAIR Act, H.R. 1566 in the House and S. 1379 in the Senate.

The measure would create a national vehicle right-to-repair law. It would ensure that consumers, independent repair shops, and parts manufacturers can access the diagnostic data, tools, and software needed for safe maintenance and repairs while protecting vehicle safety, cybersecurity, and copyright laws.

Read his column below.

Increasingly, manufacturers are using digital passwords or encryption ‒ i.e. digital locks ‒ and federal copyright law to limit who can repair products once they are sold. Whether it’s your minivan, smartphone, television, household appliance, tractor or construction equipment, many products now contain these locks that manufacturers use to restrict access to diagnostic tools, repair information and replacement parts.

The result is that independent repair businesses are often locked out of performing repairs that they have the skills and expertise to complete.

Manufacturers justify withholding this information in a number of ways: by telling the public that they are being protected from theft or surveillance; by claiming these digital blockades are for the protection of the manufacturers’ intellectual property; or, worse, by claiming falsely that they already share information with independent repair businesses, despite the numerous studies, reports and surveys that show otherwise.

From cars to televisions, you might pay more for repair

When you purchase a product, you should have the freedom to decide where it gets repaired. Likewise, independent businesses should have the opportunity to compete for that work. Yet current digital locks and outdated federal policy often enable manufacturers to maintain near-exclusive control over repairs long after a product has been sold.

Ultimately, we all bear the cost through fewer choices, longer wait times and higher repair bills. The impact is especially significant in rural communities. A farmer facing equipment downtime during planting or harvest season may not have the luxury of waiting days or weeks for an authorized repair provider. Small manufacturers, contractors and family-owned businesses face similar challenges when critical equipment cannot be repaired quickly by local service providers.

My organization, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), has been engaged on this issue for years, partnering with Reps. Diana Harshbarger, John Rose and other key leaders in Congress, and it remains a top priority in 2026. And we’re not alone. According to a recent poll, 83% of Americans support right-to-repair legislation that would prevent auto manufacturers from limiting consumer access to vehicle data.

REPAIR Act creates a ‘right-to-repair’

Specifically, NFIB supports the REPAIR Act (U.S. H.R. 1566, Senate 1379), which would create a national “vehicle right-to-repair” law. The legislation would ensure that consumers, independent repair facilities and part manufacturers have access to the diagnostic data, tools and software necessary for safe maintenance and repairs, without compromising on vehicle safety, cybersecurity or copyright protections.

Similarly, modernization is needed for Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a federal law enacted in 1998 to combat digital piracy. While this is a worthy goal, some manufacturers have stretched these protections far beyond their original purpose. Instead of simply protecting intellectual property, Section 1201 unfortunately sometimes is used to limit competition in the general repair marketplace.

It’s time for policymakers to move on meaningful reforms. Tennessee’s independent businesses are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for the chance to compete for your business.