WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump directed federal officials to expand Americans’ access to automobile parts and allow independent repairs with the signing of a presidential memorandum titled “Lowering the Cost of Living by Promoting the Freedom to Fix” during a White House ceremony on Monday.
“We have a big ruling that we’re just issuing now,” Trump said while seated behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. “I think it’s very important to lower the price of your car.”
The president emphasized the cost-savings for Americans who can repair their vehicles and choose parts manufactured by third parties.
“In all fairness, this is something that’s very exciting to me,” Trump said. “It means a lot to people that own vehicles, cars in particular, but cars and anything else. It’s going to save them a lot of money, and they’re going to be able to do it themselves.”
A dependency on authorized dealers and repair shops limited competition and contributed to higher out-of-pocket costs for consumers, according to the order.
Reducing regulations is a hallmark of the administration, with similar actions taken earlier this year to allow for truck, tractor, and commercial vehicle repair. The president has repeatedly made comments this year about protecting consumers from federal and state regulators, as well as corporate gatekeepers.
“It’s right to fix, and I think it’s really common sense,” Trump said.
Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, explained the details of the order during the event.
“We are not going to be going after people who are fixing their own vehicle, like past administrations have,” he said, referring to President Joe Biden’s guidance and enforcement during his term in office.
Uncertainty currently exists due to the federal Clean Air Act’s emission tampering prohibition, which, according to the order, leaves the approval process in the hands of California regulators.
The order seeks to limit the ability of California’s Air Resources Board to regulate aftermarket parts nationwide by encouraging alternative certification opportunities and directs the EPA to provide guidance within 30 days about what emissions repairs are allowable.
Officials are advised to deprioritize enforcement against people who restore their vehicles independently.
Zeldin challenged California’s regulatory framework, which he said leads to limited supply and price increases, describing the state’s certification process as “backlogged and faulty.”
“We’re going to break that monopoly,” the administrator said.
Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known as SEMA, CEO Mike Spagnola said in a statement sent to The Epoch Times June 29 that Trump’s memorandum “is more bold action in support of vehicle owners and automotive aftermarket industry businesses from across the nation, and an example of federal leadership on behalf of our nation’s vibrant car culture.”
He pinpointed elements of of the order which aim to protect aftermarket manufacturers and expedite approval processes as particularly beneficial for Americans and the industry.
“Specifically, Section 3 of today’s memorandum acknowledges the need for certainty at the federal level for automotive aftermarket businesses who seek to certify the emissions compliance of their products,” Spagnola said. “We look forward to further details from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin as the agency finalizes its guidance on this memorandum.”
Along with consumers, auto parts manufacturers, independent businesses, and small repair shops nationwide stand to benefit from the action, with increased access to parts and repair services.
Critics, including environmental groups, argue the order risks worsening emissions levels.
California’s Air Resources Board did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
