<div dir="ltr">Hello all, <div><br></div><div>As some of you know, the Right to Repair campaign has a lot of connections with the Maintainers, and I met many of you at MIII. </div><div><br></div><div>I wanted to share our latest newsletter with you all, which I am trying to do once per month. If you want to be added to the list for next month, just email me at <a href="mailto:nproctor@pirg.org">nproctor@pirg.org</a> and I can add  you to the list. </div><div><br></div><div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:700;white-space:pre-wrap">Our August 2020 update on the global efforts to let people fix their stuff</span><br></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Right to Repair -- a campaign to remove barriers to fixing modern equipment from cellphones to tractors -- put much of our state legislative work on hold as a result of restrictions in response to COVID-19. In its place, our work to empower repair put a new focus on addressing the barriers medical repair technicians face when repairing ventilators and other critical healthcare equipment. We’ve also continued our work to hold major manufacturers accountable, as we gear up to restart our state legislative advocacy efforts. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">First ever federal Right to Repair bill introduced, aimed at helping hospitals </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Medical device repair has long been a part of the larger Right to Repair campaign, but the pandemic has given new urgency to the damage of monopolistic practices in the maintenance of medical technology. It’s not only additional cost to our already over-priced healthcare system, the inability to fix equipment onsite poses safety risks to patients. U.S. PIRG has organized more than 500 biomedical engineers and technicians to support Right to Repair. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In July, the U.S. PIRG Education Fund published </span><a href="https://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usp/hospital-repair-restrictions" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Hospital Right to Repair Restrictions</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">which details the barriers medical repair technicians face due to manufacturer monopolies over essential manuals, training, and parts.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In our survey of 222 medical repair professionals, 91.8 percent reported that they have been denied critical service information to healthcare equipment. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Based on our research, and in coordination with our federal team, Sen. Ron Wyden (OR) and Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY) introduced the Critical Medical Infrastructure Act to Congress in early August. “The Critical Medical Infrastructure Act would remove the red tape preventing needed repairs during the COVID-19 crisis,” said Sen. Wyden during a panel hosted by U.S. PIRG. “The goal is simple: allow trained repair technicians to more easily access information and tools required to complete maintenance and repair of medical devices.” This bill is currently pending action in Congress.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anWoogyGK_E&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:624px;height:353px"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YCSq0Up0rsgFHX4TiodmLsx6lrN3WsEwMqNRNeRehEZ_XmilHANLA67CUVpl0PD3pMKwDOc4UhKHkTTIdeUEmrKPd7KNscSYDj7rhoSxtAU_Q2Rb464c3FyMgKqlOwE5CeRsHi-e" width="624" height="353" class="gmail-CToWUd" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></span></span></a></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">See Senator Wyden’s bill introduction news conference </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anWoogyGK_E&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">here</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Right to Repair makes first appearance in a national policy platform </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The recently approved </span><a href="https://www.demconvention.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020-07-21-DRAFT-Democratic-Party-Platform.pdf" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">2020 Democratic Party Platform</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> includes farmers’ “right to repair their own farming equipment” instead of relying on manufacturers. This acknowledgment signals the growing prominence of right to repair in mainstream politics. To continue building this momentum, we will maintain our efforts to garner bipartisan support for right to repair legislation.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Repair could help address a critical shortage in school computers</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span id="gmail-m_7398223330026991050m_8145616469913166027gmail-docs-internal-guid-8734c5ef-7fff-451c-4a79-43068dffd6b8" style="font-weight:normal"><br><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As school starts for millions of students this week, America is some </span><a href="https://apnews.com/01e9302796d749b6aadc35ddc8f4c946" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">5 million laptops short</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> of what we need. Interviewing refurbishers, we found that we could meet a lot of the shortfall if we removed barriers to repair and reuse for secondhand computers, including both Right to Repair reforms as well as addressing how responsible refurbishers can unlock remote-locked devices. </span></span>
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Apple inches toward to requests for access to repair materials </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Apple announced that it would be expanding its Independent Repair Provider (IRP) program to </span><a href="https://uspirg.org/news/usp/apples-slow-expansion-repair-options-no-replacement-right-repair" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">140 additional repair shops</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> in July, and that it will include resources for laptop and desktop repair in </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-repair/apple-expands-independent-repair-shop-program-to-mac-computers-idUSKCN25D1F7" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">August</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. As part of this program, authorized independent repair shops will have access to </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">some</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> Apple parts and service tools. But independent repair businesses that opt to become IRPs must sign a </span><a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/qjdjnv/apples-independent-repair-program-is-invasive-to-shops-and-their-customers-contract-shows" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">contract</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> that is highly invasive to both the business and its customers. As we told </span><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-repair/apple-expands-independent-repair-shop-program-to-mac-computers-idUSKCN25D1F7" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Reuters </span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(in an article that was also carried by the </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/08/17/business/17reuters-apple-repair.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">New York Times</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">), “At the end of the day, we either have a free market to fix the devices we own, or we don’t.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It also appears that Apple executives are not all on board with the company’s approach to repair. The House Subcommittee on Antitrust </span><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348240/apple-right-to-repair-legislation-antitrust-investigation-policy" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">published internal Apple emails</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> showing some executives feel the company is sending mixed messages by expressing support for repair while opposing Right to Repair legislation in 20 states. The emails are further evidence of the success of our Right to Repair efforts to win the argument that repair is essential -- even Apple executives think we have a point! </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Media questions Big Tech sustainability pledges over repair </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tech giants Apple and Microsoft made significant environmental pledges this summer. Apple pledged to be </span><a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2020/07/apple-commits-to-be-100-percent-carbon-neutral-for-its-supply-chain-and-products-by-2030/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">carbon neutral by 2030</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, and Microsoft made the goal of achieving “</span><a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/08/04/microsoft-direct-operations-products-and-packaging-to-be-zero-waste-by-2030/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Zero Waste</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">” in its operations by 2030 as well.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">However, these corporations’ active opposition to right to repair legislation stands at odds with these lofty climate goals. As I told the </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/21/apple-pledges-be-carbon-neutral-by-2030/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Washington Post</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“The biggest sustainability problem with our relationship with tech is how many items we buy and how quickly we dispose of them... If Apple is going to hit its laudable, lofty climate goals, it will have to improve the durability of its designs, stop locking its devices to thwart independent repair and embrace that when people buy an Apple product, they should have the right to repair it on their own terms.”</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Junked by Design: The Bricked House</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In the latest blog for our Junked by Design series, we ask: What happens when your smart home goes offline? “<a href="https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/bricked-house-how-obsolescence-looms-over-our-smart-home-devices" target="_blank">Bricked House: How obsolescence looms over our ‘smart’ home devices</a>,” explores the looming obsolescence issues facing smart home devices, and why we need new rules to regulate product lifespans. </span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This newsletter going forward</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">By popular demand, we will be producing this summary newsletter every month-ish to keep our growing list of partners and allies updated about our work. If you don’t wish to get this update, please let me know. </span></p></div><div><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>Nathan Proctor</div><div>Director, U.S. PIRG Campaign for the Right to Repair</div><div>O: (857) 413-2534<br></div><div>C: (203) 522-3860</div></div></div></div></div>