Members of Congress discussed on Tuesday catalytic converter theft prevention legislation supported by NIADA and many industry stakeholders on Capitol Hill.
The PART Act, which NIADA and industry members sent a letter to lawmakers on, was part of the public debate over the 2026 Surface Transportation reauthorization during the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade legislative hearing entitled Examining Legislative Options to Strengthen Motor Vehicle Safety, Ensure Consumer Choice and Affordability, and Cement U.S. Automotive Leadership. The Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible for drafting the Safety Title of the Surface Transportation bill, which must be reauthorized by September 30. An archived webcast of the hearing is available here.
The Subcommittee considered 16 bills addressing a wide range of issues, including advanced driver assistance systems and other automotive technologies, right-to-repair policies, and efforts to combat catalytic converter theft. The latter two issues are of particular importance to NIADA. Ahead of the hearing, NIADA submitted technical feedback on the right-to-repair legislation to encourage seamless access to repair and diagnostic data for independent dealers operating service facilities. NIADA joined 28 other industry stakeholders in penning the letter to urge the Committee to include the PART Act in the reauthorization package, which would improve the traceability of stolen catalytic converters and increase market transparency to help deter theft.
NIADA will continue to advocate for legislation that supports the interests and long-term vitality of independent automobile dealers as the Surface Transportation reauthorization advances through the legislative process.
