WASHINGTON,
DC - U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky, ranking member on the
Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, today spoke in favor
of a bill that would provide consumers with a choice in where they go to repair
their cars in a hearing before the Subcommittee. H.R. 2048, the Motor Vehicle
Owners’ Right to Repair Act, would allow consumers to use independent repair
shops to fix their vehicles, rather than relying solely on dealers who currently
have a monopoly on the information technology necessary to repair those
vehicles.
Representative Schakowsky’s opening statement is below:
Thank you, Chairman Stearns, for holding today’s hearing on another important
issue to consumers – whether the choice of where to take their cars for repairs
is their own. I am glad that we are revisiting the technical challenges that
currently stop consumers from using the shop around the corner and that we are
taking another look at the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair Act, which
would restore their right to choose where they want to take their business.
Technological developments in car design and maintenance have made cars safer
and more environmentally sound. The changes have truly been advances.
However, they have also created new obstacles for consumers and independent
repair shops. Consumers have found that a simple repair may not be so simple
after all. Even getting a diagnosis is more complicated than it was before and
many have found that they cannot take their cars to the repair shop they have
been using for years.
Repair shops, for their part, are finding that they must refer customers to
dealers for work they cannot do. It is not because the mechanics at the shop
are not capable, but because they cannot get the information they need – or they
cannot get the information they need in a timely fashion – to make the necessary
repairs. So, unfortunately, many of our neighborhood mechanics have had to send
good business elsewhere.
I believe it is important to protect the trade secrets and intellectual property
of auto manufacturers. The motor vehicle industry is the largest manufacturer
in the country and their innovations help fuel the economy. However, I believe
that information necessary to diagnose, service, and repair vehicles sold in the
United States should be disclosed to car owners, repair shops, and the Federal
Trade Commission. I believe a balance between protecting the rights of
manufactures and the rights of the consumer can be found and that H.R. 2048 is
on the right track toward striking that balance.
Some of the witnesses here today will report that information sharing is already
occurring and that the automakers and independent repair shops have been working
together voluntarily. That cooperation was initiated, in large part, by the
late Senator Paul Wellstone’s prodding, and is a positive change since this
issue came to light a few years ago. However, there is still room for
improvement.
I was glad to hear that from July to October, the stakeholders – many of them
witnesses today – tried to work out an agreement on better information sharing.
Despite your efforts, no accord was reached and consumers are the ones who will
pay for the outstanding disputes. For me, ultimately, this is about the
consumers – and eliminating any undo burden on them. If the industries involved
cannot work out a solution, then I believe we do need to consider legislation.
We need to ensure that the information provided to the car owners and
independent repair shops is easily accessible, accurate, timely, and not priced
out of reach.
Again, I look forward to hearing your ideas on this issue. I hope that we can
come to a better understanding of the impasse so we can move forward on
restoring consumers’ choice of when it comes to mechanics who perform work on
their cars.
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