Summary

• Purpose: End the “disposable economy” by mandating repairable design, 10‑year parts availability, and warranty protection for independent repair.
• Net fiscal impact (annual): Federal ledger: –$0.07B (Low) | +$0.18B (Mid) | +$0.27B (High). Household ledger: $12B–$28B in annual savings.
• Primary beneficiaries: Families, independent repair shops, local economies, and the environment.

Mechanism of savings

• Extended lifespans: Appliances last 10–12 years instead of 5–7, reducing replacement costs.
• Parts & manuals: Required availability lowers repair costs and keeps products in service.
• Repairability score: Transparency at point of sale drives competition toward durable design.
• Local repair jobs: Billions shifted from imports to local service and parts distribution.
• Waste reduction: Millions fewer appliances landfilled each year, lowering disposal costs.

Assumptions

• Baseline: 130M U.S. households, ~4.5 major appliances each.
• Lifespan shift: From 7 years to 10–12 years average.
• Average unit cost: $700–$900 per appliance.
• Repair capture rate: 35% (Low), 50% (Mid), 65% (High).
• Admin costs: $80M–$180M annually for FTC/GAO oversight.
• Penalty revenue: $150M–$450M annually from noncompliance fines.

Calculations

• Low case: $12B household savings – $0.08B admin + $0.15B penalties ≈ net +$0.07B federal, $12B household.
• Mid case: $20B household savings – $0.12B admin + $0.30B penalties ≈ net +$0.18B federal, $20B household.
• High case: $28B household savings – $0.18B admin + $0.45B penalties ≈ net +$0.27B federal, $28B household.

Risks and mitigation

• Manufacturer resistance: Addressed by FTC enforcement and civil penalties.
• Parts pricing games: “Fair and reasonable terms” requirement prevents gouging.
• Software locks: Explicit prohibition on disabling third‑party repairs.
• Consumer adoption: Repairability score label builds awareness and demand.

Measurement and reporting

• KPIs: Average repairability score, parts availability compliance, household savings, jobs created, waste diverted.
• Cadence: FTC annual reports; GAO 3‑year impact study; public dashboards updated annually.

Bottom line

The Right to Repair and Durable Goods Act saves households billions, creates up to 220,000 jobs, and reduces waste — all while keeping the federal ledger neutral to positive. Families win, local economies win, and the only losers are corporations profiting off disposable design. Receipts, not rhetoric.