The organized retail theft bill is the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, or H.R. 2853. The U.S. House of Representatives has approved it. The bipartisan measure is aimed at disrupting criminal networks that target supply chains. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Organized retail theft bill clears U.S. House
Organized retail theft bill clears U.S. House

Organized cargo theft and supply chain security

Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ian Jefferies said in an AAR press release: “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,”

The AAR said major U.S. railroads recorded more than 75,000 theft incidents in 2025. Those cases were valued at more than $200 million in losses. They also represented an increase of more than 50% from 2024. Also, AAR officials noted that only about one in 10 theft attempts results in an arrest. That figure applies despite industry security investments.

H.R. 2853 and frontline agency support

H.R. 2853 calls for a national coordination center to be established within Homeland Security Investigations. In addition, the bill includes grant funding and training for frontline agencies.

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