WASHINGTON — In response to incorrect information recently published on the “Access to Repair Parts Act” (H.R. 3059/S.1368), legislation currently under consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, Pat Felder, a member of the Quality Parts Coalition Board of Directors, today issued the following statement:

“The Automotive Service Association (ASA) got it wrong last week.

In a press release dated Feb. 25, ASA claimed that that the ‘Access to Repair Parts Act’ ‘would deny businesses the ability to rightfully protect their intellectual property.’ This is simply not true. The identical bills, H.R. 3059 and S.1368, strike a balance between protecting intellectual property and ensuring free competition by creating a very limited exception from design patent infringement for collision repair parts needed to restore vehicles to their original appearance. This legislation would still permit car companies to secure design patents on collision parts and enforce them against competing car companies to prevent them from copying one another’s vehicle designs in the primary market.

Moreover, by opposing the legislation, ASA has abandoned the thousands of small businesses it represents – and departed from its stated legislative objective, which currently appears on its very own Web site, issued for the 111th Congress: ‘ASA opposes granting vehicle manufacturers monopoly copyright or patent rights on sheet metal parts or design patents on the shapes of other OE parts.’

ASA’s recent statements inaccurately depict the scope of the ‘Access to Repair Parts Act.’ The bill, introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), addresses the danger posed by car companies’ increasing use of design patents to eliminate competitive choice in the alternative collision parts market. The Quality Parts Coalition, which counts among its 80+ members and diverse network supporting the legislation the nation’s consumer groups, senior citizens, representatives of the collision repair industry and the largest insurance trade associations and companies, is an ardent supporter of H.R. 3059/S.1368.

We applaud Rep. Lofgren, Sen. Whitehouse and their cosponsors for spearheading an effort that will end the predatory practice of eliminating competition and consumer choice through restrictive 14-year design patents and ensure that aftermarket-related businesses and the jobs they create continue to flourish. We have a hard time believing that ASA – which purports to represent small businesses across the nation – would disagree with that. Unfortunately, perhaps it is the case that ASA has aligned itself with the car company lobby.”

Join the many voices who have already urged Congress to pass the “Access to Repair Parts Act.”

Visit www.qualitypartscoalition.com/advocacy.

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The Quality Parts Coalition represents the interests of the independent parts industry, repairers, insurers, consumers and seniors. It is the goal of the Quality Parts Coalition to develop and secure a permanent legislative change to U.S. design patent law to preserve competition and to protect the consumer’s right to benefit from quality, lower-cost alternative replacement parts.

For more information, visit www.qualitypartscoalition.com.