Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jun 30: Donald Trump on Monday signed a presidential memorandum aimed at making vehicle repairs more affordable by expanding consumers' ability to repair their own cars and promoting greater competition in the aftermarket parts industry.
Announcing the initiative, Trump said the measure would reduce the overall cost of vehicle ownership by making repairs easier and less expensive for Americans.
"I think it's very important. It's going to lower the price of your car and the cost of fixing it. It's all about affordability," the President said before signing the memorandum.
The directive instructs the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support what the administration described as Americans' "freedom to fix" their own vehicles while encouraging greater competition among manufacturers and suppliers of replacement parts.
Trump said the proposal gained urgency after learning of cases in which individuals repairing their own vehicles allegedly faced government enforcement actions.
"It came to my attention because I noticed they were arresting people for fixing their car. That's not even believable," he said, adding that the "right to fix" was a matter of common sense.
The President also argued that many vehicle owners possess the technical expertise needed to carry out repairs themselves.
"Some people know more about fixing their cars than the mechanics in repair shops. They're telling the mechanics how to repair their vehicles," Trump remarked.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the memorandum builds upon the administration's earlier "right to repair" policy for agricultural equipment introduced in February and extends similar principles to passenger vehicles.
"This is a presidential memorandum supporting the freedom to fix. Americans should have the right to repair their own vehicles, and President Trump is committed to protecting that right," Zeldin said.
He added that the administration also plans to restrict the import of low-quality imitation aftermarket vehicle parts, arguing that such products undermine American manufacturers and businesses.
Zeldin further announced plans to end what he described as the exclusive role of California Air Resources Board in certifying aftermarket vehicle components.
According to him, the existing certification process has become inefficient due to significant backlogs and operational shortcomings. The administration intends to allow additional third-party certification bodies to enter the market, a move it says will increase competition and improve access to certified replacement parts.
Zeldin also disclosed that Trump personally initiated the proposal after discussing the issue during a weekend phone call and instructed officials to move quickly on implementing the policy.
The administration believes that expanding repair options, increasing competition in the aftermarket parts sector and supporting independent repair businesses will help reduce vehicle maintenance costs for consumers while creating new opportunities for small businesses across the United States.