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Judiciary Committee backs bipartisan bill to coordinate federal response to organized retail theft
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Summary
H.R.2853 would establish an organized retail and supply chain crime coordination center to help federal, state and local authorities dismantle multistate and transnational theft rings. The committee adopted a substitute and ordered the bill reported favorably.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced H.R.2853, the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act," endorsing a bipartisan effort to close enforcement gaps for large‑scale theft schemes that cross state and international lines.
Representative Knott, the bill’s sponsor, said organized retail crime costs the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars a year and requires a federal coordination element to link local investigations with interstate and international supply‑chain disruptions. "These crimes target everything from bars of soap to entire shipping containers," he said.
Ranking Member Raskin supported the bill but suggested Congress consider whether the proposed coordination center should be placed at the Department of Justice rather than the Department of Homeland Security. Supporters and cosponsors described provisions that allow aggregation of stolen value, inclusion of gift cards and expanded thresholds for federal jurisdiction.
Members adopted a substitute amendment that removes certain language concerning facilities and clarified aspects of federalism. The committee voted to report the bill favorably and authorized staff to make technical and conforming changes.
