A recent antitrust lawsuit settlement between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and John Deere has paved the way for Congress to expand right to repair access to all small businesses. The settlement resolves restrictions to necessary equipment repair resources that forced individuals and businesses to only use authorized dealers for repairs instead of being able to fix the equipment themselves or use their preferred local repair shop.
Impact on Small Businesses
The right to repair is one of the National Federation of Independent Business’s (NFIB) top legislative priorities for 2026 and will be critical for injecting competition into the market and lowering costs for business owners who depend on vehicles to operate their business. NFIB is urging Congress to pass the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, which guarantees vehicle repair access and maintenance data for independent auto and electronic repair shops to provide small businesses with options for more affordable and faster vehicle repairs.
Original reporting: NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) — read the source article.
