House passes bill to combat organized retail theft

The U.S. House has passed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (H.R. 2853), a bipartisan bill that aims to break up criminal networks that target supply chains. 

"Organized cargo theft raises costs across the supply chain — from railroads and trucking companies to retailers, manufacturers, and ultimately consumers — while also putting transportation employees and frontline workers at greater risk from increasingly sophisticated criminal activity," Association of American Railroads CEO and President Ian Jefferies said in a press release.

According to the AAR, major U.S. railroads reported more than 75,000 theft incidents valued at more than $200 million in losses in 2025, a more than 50% increase from 2024. Despite industry investments in security, only about one in 10 theft attempts lead to an arrest, AAR officials added.

H.R. 2853 calls for the establishment of a national coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations and grant funding and training for frontline agencies.