PARTS Act Reintroduced in Congress, Frees Motoring Consumers to Choose Quality, Affordable Crash Parts, states CARE

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 5, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Promoting Automotive Repair, Trade and Sales Act of 2017 (PARTS Act), was introduced in Congress April 3.  The bi-partisan, bi-cameral bills (H.R. 1879/S. 812) would expand consumer choice for automotive collision repair parts, cut costs paid by motoring consumers and insurance companies, and increase competition.

Senate sponsors are U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and lead sponsors U.S. Representatives Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), with original cosponsors Reps. Blake Farentold (R-TX), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Scott Perry (R-PA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI). 

The PARTS Act would narrowly amend U.S. design patent law to reduce, from 14 years down to 2.5 years, a car manufacturer's design patent on collision parts.

"According to a study by Microeconomic Consulting & Research Associates, consumers will realize a savings of $1.5 Billion a year by having the ability to purchase high quality, but less expensive, aftermarket collision parts when their vehicles have been involved in an accident," said Ray Pohlman, president of the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE).  "The automotive aftermarket wishes to thank the House and Senate sponsors for their leadership in doing what's right for America's motoring consumers.

"We hope that House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlette (R-VA) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) will hold hearings as soon as possible in order to progress the bills for consumers," concluded Pohlman.

About CARE: CARE is a national, non-profit organization that represents companies in the automotive aftermarket, among them: NAPA, AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Bridgestone-Firestone Retail Operations and Service King.

Nearly six million people work in the automotive aftermarket in over 500,000 business locations.

SOURCE Coalition for Auto Repair Equality