Massachusetts Democrats Elizabeth Warren, one of the most generous members of the American Senate, in association with Montana Republican Tim Shehi, one of the most conservative of the upper chamber, to pursue a new Pentagon policy, in which support has been earned from the top Trump administration officials.
Warren and Sheehi are offering laws on Tuesday that will give the Defense Department “the right to repair” their own military equipment – a policy that can save the pentagon money, resources and, most seriously, time. The law, called the “The Warrior Right to Repair Act”, has bipartisan support and is expected to join the upcoming National Defense Authority Act, which approves funds and policy for DODs.
Traditionally, the defense contractors who provide the US Army with the equipment often prohibit the ability of DOD to conduct their repair, leading to high cost, delay and waste.
Warren and Xhee pointed to examples where the Navy had to blow the sea for the sea to make regular improvements in Japan or Marine in Japan had to send the engine back to the US to repair instead of the site, and Marine in Korea had to select between violating contracts or delay in training exercises as the machinery was inactive. And, he said, in some examples, the army cannot write its training manual without a sign off with a contractor.
Senator also note the excessive cost of repair by a contractor than a service member, and that several defense contracts ban on sharing intellectual property and technical data with DODs that will enable the service members to repair their own equipment.
Both Warren and Sheehi sit on the Senate Armed Service Committee, and are concerned about the impact on national security with military readiness and flexibility. And each has a unique approach to policy.
Warren has long advocated this change, and has seen it as fighting for more competition against consolation. Warren carried forward the issue during the hearing of the Army Secretary Dan Driskl, and he agreed to his concerns.
In April, Defense Secretary PT Hegaseth directed the army to include the right-to-rate provisions in all new and existing contracts.
“To build a lean, more deadly force, the army will have to change at a quick speed with the restructuring of the old, meaningless and disable programs, along with the restructuring of headquarters and acquisition systems,” Hegseth said. Memorandum For Pentagon leadership.
The Secretary of the Navy has also expressed support for a uniform policy.
The Warren-Shahi law will not only codes it in the law, but will also apply in military branches.
Warren said in a statement to CBS, “It is capable of fixing its weapons for our army members. Sen Shehi and I are fighting to improve military readiness and save the taxpayers billions.” “This is about the time when we stand for the Pentagon contractors who are squeezing every final percentage from us at the cost of our national security.”
Shehi is a former Navy seal officer who posted in Iraq and Afghanistan and earned bronze stars and purple hearts. He reaches the issue as a service in the battlefield.
He said, “For decades, American service members have been forced to rely on a broken situation to repair equipment on the battlefield, threatening our readiness and cost taxpayers billions,” he said. “Our War – and American public – deserve better, and I am proud to lead this bipartisan law to streamline the bunny bureaucracy, increase competition, and provide our warriors with the quantity of quality and equipment that they need to win the next battle.”
Army Secretary, Driskal also supports the law.
“In the last few decades, the army has signed its ability to repair its own equipment,” he said in a statement. Through the army change initiative we are going to ensure that each contract moving will enable our soldiers to repair their equipment. ” “By doing this, the taxpayer will save the dollar and will get back the equipment rapidly on the battlefield. I am thrilled that this important issue has bilateral support in the Congress.”
