House passes organized retail crime bill

The U.S. House passed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act on May 12 by a 348-60 vote, advancing a bipartisan bill that would give federal agencies new tools to pursue theft rings operating across state lines. The measure, H.R. 2853, would create a federal coordination center focused on organized retail and supply-chain crime and would expand the government’s role in cases involving stolen goods sold through stores, online marketplaces and other channels. (icsc.com) House backers included Rep. Dave Joyce, an Ohio Republican, and Rep. Susie Lee, a Nevada Democrat. The bill now moves to the Senate, where Sens. Chuck Grassley and Catherine Cortez Masto have introduced companion legislation. ### What exactly did the House approve? (judiciary.senate.gov) H.R. 2853 is written to target organized crime involving the illegal acquisition of retail goods and cargo for resale through physical and online marketplaces, according to the House-passed text. The bill’s findings say theft groups have expanded activity against retailers and the broader supply chain, including digital fraud, cargo theft and resale operations that cross jurisdictions. The House version would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within 90 days of enactment, according to the bill text. That center would be intended to coordinate information-sharing and investigations involving federal, state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement, as well as private-sector partners. (icsc.com) ### Why does cargo theft show up in a retail crime bill? CargoNet data cited in the bill says cargo theft incidents in 2024 rose 27% from the previous year and that the average value per theft exceeded $202,000. The House findings say theft now reaches beyond store shelves into rail, road and distribution networks, including schemes that physically steal shipments or divert them through cyber-enabled methods. (govtrack.us) Recycling and transportation groups have backed the measure because the bill explicitly addresses theft tied to supply chains, including recycled materials used in manufacturing, according to industry statements published after the vote. That widened scope helps explain why supporters describe the legislation as both a retail-theft and supply-chain bill. (govtrack.us) ### What new federal tools would the bill add? The Senate Judiciary Committee’s section-by-section summary says the legislation would create new tools for federal investigation and prosecution and improve efforts to recover stolen goods and illicit proceeds. The summary also says the coordination center would align resources and intelligence-sharing across law enforcement agencies and private-sector participants. (govtrack.us) Rep. Norma Torres, a House co-sponsor, said after passage that the bill would expand federal enforcement tools, strengthen money-laundering penalties tied to organized retail crime and improve coordination among federal law enforcement agencies. Her statement described the target as large-scale theft operations affecting retailers, cargo networks and supply chains. (recyclingtoday.com) ### Why have retailers pushed for this for so long? The International Council of Shopping Centers said it has supported federal organized retail crime legislation since the first version was introduced in 2022. The National Retail Federation said it had lobbied for the bill through testimony, letters, fly-ins and direct work with law enforcement and lawmakers. (judiciary.senate.gov) NRF’s 2025 theft-and-violence report, cited in congressional and industry materials, said more than half of surveyed retailers reported increases over the prior 12 months in phone scams, ecommerce fraud, shoplifting and cargo or supply-chain theft conducted by organized retail crime groups. The House bill’s findings also cite NRF data showing larceny incidents increased 93% in 2023 versus 2019 and average dollar loss rose 90%. (torres.house.gov) ### What happens in the Senate now? Sens. Grassley and Cortez Masto reintroduced the Senate companion on April 10, 2025, with additional bipartisan cosponsors including Amy Klobuchar, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz and Mark Kelly, according to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Their proposal would establish the same DHS-based coordination center and create what Grassley called new tools to recover stolen goods and illicit proceeds. (icsc.com) The next formal step is Senate consideration of the companion measure or the House-passed bill. If the Senate passes identical text, the legislation would go to President Donald Trump; if not, lawmakers would need to reconcile differences before any final vote. (nrf.com) (judiciary.senate.gov)