From the SEMA Washington, D.C., office

SEMA/PRI and a coalition of 339 small businesses are urging Congress to secure passage of the “Warrior Right to Repair Act,” a component of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (read more here). The bill would ensure the U.S. military can repair and maintain the equipment that it owns, a mission-critical protection of military readiness and our warfighters’ ability to quickly adapt to evolving battlefield conditions and needs.

• In their letter, the coalition’s automotive aftermarket businesses remind lawmakers that the industry of which they are a part is comprised of American businesses who deliver precision manufacturing, technical innovation and high-performance engineering, and is thus uniquely positioned to help the Department of Defense meet its sustainment and readiness goals.

“Outdated restrictions are holding us–and the Department of Defense–back right now,” the letter says. “This is about ensuring the government can maintain and repair what it already owns. It’s about making sure the Department of Defense has access to every capable partner in the country to keep our military mission ready.”

• Read the full coalition letter.

BACKGROUND

If passed, the Warrior Right to Repair Act (Section 863 of H.R. 3838and Section 836 of S. 2296) will:

• Expand competition for sustainment contracts to include more U.S. businesses;
• Drive innovation in repair processes and specialty component production;
• Improve readiness by reducing sole-source delays and equipment downtime;
• Lower costs for taxpayers through competitive sourcing and open access to repairs; and
• Strengthen the defense industrial base by bringing in capable, agile suppliers.

The automotive aftermarket and motorsports industries are overwhelmingly comprised of small businesses whose products are shining examples of America’s engineering superiority and unparalleled ability to innovate. Many businesses in the automotive aftermarket industry, including specialty equipment manufacturers, aftermarket innovators and precision part suppliers, have the capability, capacity, and technical expertise to:

• Rapidly reverse-engineer and produce specialty components and hard-to-source parts;
• Deliver cost-effective and customized solutions on accelerated timelines;
• Provide flexible, decentralized repair capacity to reduce downtime and increase resilience; and
• Expand the defense sustainment ecosystem through supplier diversity and small business participation.

For more information, visit sema.org.