Massachusetts Democrat Elizabeth Warren, one of the most liberal members of the U.S. Senate, is teaming up with Montana Republican Tim Sheehy, one of the upper chamber’s most conservative, to advance a new Pentagon policy that has earned support from top Trump administration officials.
Warren and Sheehy are introducing legislation on Tuesday that would give the Department of Defense the “right to repair” its own military equipment — a policy that could save the Pentagon money, resources and, most critically, time. The legislation, called “The Warrior Right to Repair Act”, has bipartisan support and is expected to be included in the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, which approves funds and policy for the DOD.
Traditionally, defense contractors who provide the U.S. military with equipment often restrict the DOD’s ability to conduct its own repairs, leading to higher costs, delays and waste.
Warren and Sheehy pointed to instances where the Navy had to fly contractors out to sea to perform routine fixes or Marines in Japan had to send engines back to the U.S. for repair instead of on site, and Marines in Korea having to choose between violating contracts or delaying training exercises because machinery was inoperable. And, they said, in some instances, the Army can’t write its own training manual without sign off from a contractor.
The senators also note the exorbitant costs of repair by a contractor compared to that by a service member, and that many defense contracts prohibit sharing intellectual property and technical data with the DOD that would enable service members to repair their own equipment.
Warren and Sheehy both sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and are concerned about the impact on military readiness and flexibility as well as on national security. And each has a unique approach to the policy.
Warren has long advocated for this change, and views it as fighting against consolation and for more competition. Warren pushed the issue during Army Secretary Dan Driscoll’s confirmation hearing, and he agreed with her concerns.
In April, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Army to include right-to-repair provisions in all new and existing contracts.
“To build a leaner, more lethal force, the Army must transform at an accelerated pace by divesting outdated, redundant, and inefficient programs, as well as restructuring headquarters and acquisition systems,” Hegseth wrote in a memo to Pentagon leadership.
The Secretary of the Navy has also expressed support for a similar policy.
The Warren-Sheehy legislation would not only codify that into law, but would also apply across military branches.
“It’s common sense for members of our military to be able to fix their own weapons. Sen. Sheehy and I are fighting to improve military readiness and save taxpayers billions,” Warren said in a statement to CBS. “It’s about time we stand up to Pentagon contractors that are squeezing every last cent from us at the expense of our national security.”
Sheehy is a former Navy SEAL officer, who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and earned the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He approaches the issue as having served on the battlefield.
“For decades, American service members have been forced to rely on a broken status quo to repair equipment on the battlefield, threatening our readiness and costing taxpayers billions,” he said. “Our warfighters – and the American public – deserve better, and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to streamline bloated bureaucracy, increase competition, and provide our warfighters with the quality and quantity of equipment they need to win the next fight.”
Driscoll, the Army Secretary, also supports the legislation.
“Over the last few decades, the Army has signed away its ability to repair its own equipment. Through the Army Transformation Initiative we are going to ensure that every contract going forward will enable our soldiers to repair their own equipment,” he said in a statement. “Doing this will save taxpayer dollars and get equipment back on the battlefield faster. I’m thrilled this important issue has bipartisan support in Congress.”
