Voters give clear, unambiguous public mandate for Congress to act to enhance warfighter readiness

The public is overwhelmingly in support of providing the U.S. military with the right to repair their equipment and vehicles, according to a new survey commissioned by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). According to the survey, 78.9% of respondents support the military’s ability to repair their own equipment. When asked about the Warrior Right to Repair Act, bipartisan legislation under consideration by Congress for inclusion in the National Defense Authorization Act that would provide the military with the right to repair, 73.5% of voters said they would support the legislation.

The survey also includes the first-ever assessment of the public’s opinions of battlefield modifications of military equipment, an associated issue raised recently by military leaders during congressional testimony. When presented with a question on the necessity of adapting equipment to meet evolving battlefield conditions, 72.4% of voters agree that military personnel should have the authority to modify their equipment, not just repair.

The survey was commissioned by SEMA from May 14-17, with a +/- 2.9% margin of error. The survey sample was 1,090, with the exception of the question on modification, for which the sample size was 1,168. This survey was conducted online by occam™ by AlphaROC

“The data reveals an overwhelming, unambiguous public mandate: Americans strongly believe the U.S. military should have the right to repair its own equipment,” wrote SEMA Political Director Lauren Wilbor. “Voters express deep concern over both taxpayer costs and defense contractor lobbying, along with impacts on military readiness.”

Read SEMA’s full polling memo here.

SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Strong bipartisan support for military right to repair, with 84.1% of Republicans, 78.2% of Democrats and 76.2% of Independents in support of allowing the military to repair its own equipment.
Military right to repair remains a “silent issue,” with 76.5% of voters unaware of contract rules that restrict military units from repairing their own equipment.
Voters demand common sense on the battlefield, with 66.5% stating their belief that if a military vehicle breaks down in a combat zone, service members should be allowed to repair it in the field.
Conversely, just 10% of respondents believe military units should be required to wait for manufacturer-authorized technicians.
Voters, when educated on the outcome of previous attempts to provide the military with the right to repair, overwhelmingly (71.8%) expressed concern with how defense contracting decisions are made.

ABOUT SEMA

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) serves as a leading voice for the worldwide car culture, representing over 7,000 member companies that create, buy, sell, and use specialty-automotive parts that make vehicles more unique, attractive, convenient, safer, fun, and even like new again. Business member benefits include product development resources, market research, networking, education, legislative advocacy, and more. The Association organizes the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Nev., and actively supports the career and business opportunities that the aftermarket generates. The industry contributes nearly $337 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy, supports 1.3 million jobs nationally, and generates nearly $53 billion in parts sales annually. For more information, visit www.sema.org.

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National Poll: More Than 70% of Voters Back Military Right to Repair, Modify Their Equipment