Gluesenkamp Perez Statement on Army Right to Repair Announcement

Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the following statement regarding a recent U.S. Department of Defense memorandum instructing the Secretary of the Army to seek to include right to repair provisions in all existing and new contracts:

“Our military readiness and the safety of our servicemembers is dependent on warfighting equipment being reliable and quickly repairable.

When military technicians are spending time on hold with manufacturers, shipping equipment overseas for simple fixes, or flying out authorized contractors – it’s not only time-consuming and costly – but they’re being deprived of experience working with their hands to fix equipment they rely on.

I’m glad that the Army has heard our calls for reforms and will be prioritizing right to repair provisions in its contracts – and I encourage the other branches of our Armed Forces to follow suit. These changes will save our hard-earned tax dollars, strengthen military readiness, and respect the skill of our servicemembers.”

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) introduced the Servicemember Right-to-Repair Act in the 118th Congress, to increase military readiness and cut costs by allowing servicemembers to repair their own equipment.