Washington, DC — Consumer Reports announced its support for the Fair Repair Act, federal legislation introduced today in the Senate by U.S. Senator Luján of New Mexico and in the House by U.S. Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York. The companion bills would guarantee consumers the right to have their electronic devices repaired by a service provider of their choosing — or to make their own repairs, if they can.
“We are thrilled that Senator Luján and Representative Morelle are working to advance national right to repair legislation,”said Stacey Higginbotham, a Policy Fellow at Consumer Reports. “Consumer Reports strongly supports consumers’ right to repair the products they own. Access to independent repair services saves consumers money, boosts local businesses, and reduces waste. “
The Fair Repair Act is based on model legislation developed by Consumer Reports and other right-to-repair advocates. This legislation responds to manufacturers making routine repairs unnecessarily difficult by restricting access to basic diagnostic information, tools, and replacement parts for expensive devices. These practices force consumers to rely on manufacturers or their preferred servicers, limiting competition and driving up repair costs. In some cases, manufacturers refuse to repair products altogether, pushing consumers to discard them and buy new ones.
CR and its allies have successfully advanced right to repair laws in New York, California, Minnesota, and Oregon. Consumer Reports has also incorporated the right to repair into the Digital Standard, a set of best practices that CR uses to evaluate the privacy and security of software, digital platforms and services, and internet-connected products, as well as to help influence the design of these products.
Contact: cyrus.rassool@consumer.org