The stolen redistribution of products like medicines and perishable goods threatens public health and safety. These items may not be properly stored, and expiration dates may be falsely changed as they travel through illicit distribution channels.

These are not isolated incidents of shoplifting or individual acts of opportunistic theft. They are coordinated operations that rely on intimidation, fraud, and violence. NRF studies have shown that violence and aggression tied to these crimes have increased since 2022.

The consequences extend far beyond the merchandise that is stolen. Retail workers are increasingly being threatened, assaulted, and intimidated while simply doing their jobs. Store associates, loss prevention professionals, and supply chain workers often find themselves on the front lines of encounters with organized criminal groups that are becoming more brazen. No employee should have to fear for their safety while serving customers or stocking shelves.

Cargo theft incidents have also increased significantly over the past few years. Criminal crews are targeting trucks, warehouses, and rail shipments. Gift card fraud, online resale schemes, and cargo diversion are helping organized rings turn stolen merchandise into cash at scale. The growth of sophisticated online marketplaces and international distribution channels has made it easier for criminals to monetize stolen goods and conceal their activities.

The economic impact is substantial. Organized retail crime drives up costs throughout the supply chain, disrupts product availability and places additional burdens on businesses, law enforcement agencies, and consumers. Retailers are investing significant resources in security measures, employee training and theft prevention efforts, yet these criminal enterprises continue to evolve and exploit jurisdictional gaps.

Consumers are victimized directly and indirectly by these organized theft groups. When these networks grow bolder, communities pay the price. Workers feel less safe, customers face more risk, and law enforcement is left trying to connect crimes that cross jurisdictions.

That is why CORCA matters. The bill would strengthen federal tools to investigate and prosecute organized retail and supply chain crime, improve coordination among federal, state, and local agencies, and create a dedicated coordination center within the Department of Homeland Security. CORCA fills a critical need to identify and disrupt organized theft groups that travel across state lines, operating beyond the capabilities of local and state agencies. In short, it would help law enforcement follow the evidence, share intelligence faster, and dismantle criminal enterprises before more workers and shoppers are harmed.

Just as organized retail crime networks operate across jurisdictions, the response must be coordinated across jurisdictions as well. Federal leadership and information sharing are essential to identifying patterns, tracking criminal organizations, and bringing repeat offenders to justice. CORCA provides the framework needed to support those efforts.

The House has already acted. Now the Senate should do the same. CORCA is bipartisan, practical, and targeted at a problem. The criminals behind organized retail and supply chain crime are coordinated, well-financed, and becoming more brazen. The Senate should meet that threat with the same clarity and speed. Pass CORCA now.

David French is EVP of Government Relations at the National Retail Federation.