A provision backed by U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, to guarantee American servicemembers the right to repair their own equipment passed the House of Representatives as part of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), according to a news release from the office of Gluesenkamp Perez.
The provision will ensure that members of the U.S. military can fix the equipment they rely on themselves by ensuring the Department of Defense only enters into procurement contracts with contractors that provide fair and reasonable access to repair materials – including parts, tools, and information, the release stated.
It is based on a standalone bipartisan bill introduced by Gluesenkamp Perez along with Reps. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia, and Maggie Goodlander, D-New Hampshire.
“With the purchasing power of the U.S. military, it’s unthinkable to me that we would not be negotiating the right for our service members to maintain the tools and equipment they rely on – rather than having to wait for a manufacturer to fix it for them,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “When servicemembers leave the service they should do so having attained the highest level of skill. Affirming our agency as stewards and not just hapless consumers is a top priority for me and I’m excited for this step.”
Earlier this year, Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez testified in a House Armed Services Committee hearing in support of this provision, according to the release.
She voted in favor of the NDAA, which now goes to the Senate for final passage.
