On May 19, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation that will form the foundation of the Safety Title in the 2026 Surface Transportation reauthorization bill. Included in the legislation is a scaled-back version of H.R. 1556, the REPAIR Act, one of NIADA’s legislative priorities for the 119th Congress. The REPAIR Act removes unnecessary barriers and ensures that independent automobile dealers and repair shops have access to essential repair and maintenance data, compatible aftermarket parts, and diagnostic tools. Ahead of the hearing, NIADA sent a letter to Committee leadership urging them to include both the REPAIR Act and the PART Act, a bill designed to combat the growing threat of catalytic converter theft, in the Safety Title. The PART Act was ultimately not considered.
While the Committee-approved REPAIR Act language falls short of addressing all of NIADA’s concerns, Committee leadership committed to continuing work on the bill before it reaches the House floor. NIADA will remain actively engaged in those discussions and continue advocating for improvements to the legislation.
Key REPAIR Act Provisions Included in the Committee-Approved Bill
- Clarifies that vehicle owners maintain property rights over the data their vehicle generates.
- Codifies into law the 2014 stakeholder Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that facilitates sharing between the manufacturers and repair organizations.
- Gives the Federal Trade Commission the authority to enforce compliance with the agreement through the enforcement powers included in the FTC Act.
- Requires the FTC to conduct a comprehensive study on, among other things, marketplace practices and activities that may prohibit or restrict the sharing of information contemplated in the MOU or efforts to limit aftermarket parts manufacturers from selling compatible parts.
- Clarifies that the bill does not preempt state laws, including state franchise laws.
