The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 has been revised, and language that would have granted the US military the right to repair its own equipment has been removed. This decision means the military will likely continue to be required to use official defense contractors for maintenance, rather than allowing its personnel to perform the repairs themselves.
The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) confirmed the removal of the language in a recent statement, expressing significant disappointment over the move. The NDAA bill is currently still under consideration by Congress, and it is uncertain whether the “right to repair” provisions will be reintroduced.
According to US PIRG Legislative Associate Charlie Schuyler, this removal comes despite strong bipartisan backing. “Despite support from Republicans, Democrats, the White House and key military leaders, troops will keep waiting for repairs they could perform themselves,” Schuyler stated.
Advocates argue that retaining the current system is detrimental to both readiness and cost-efficiency. Schuyler added that the consequences of this removal mean, “Taxpayers will keep paying inflated costs. And in some cases, soldiers might not get the equipment they need when they need it most.”
The effort to grant the military this repair access was championed earlier this year by a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tom Sheedy. This mirrors the broader, ongoing movement for “right to repair” access across the country.
For consumers, the right to repair movement has been a more localized effort, with various states enacting their own legislation and federal regulators occasionally intervening to increase choices for repairs of consumer products. However, the decision in the 2026 NDAA signals a setback for a key part of the movement targeting the massive defense sector.