U.S. House Passes Cargo Theft Legislation
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
Photo by David C. Lester
WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The U.S. House has passed legislation aimed at fighting cargo theft throughout the supply chain.
Most readers are likely familiar with the rash of cargo thefts involving containers on intermodal trains. While theft is a concern throughout the supply chain, our industry has become acutely aware of thefts from containers that carry high-value retail goods while they sit on parked trains. These thefts are particularly challenging where trains travel through sparsely populated and open areas. Trains must stop at signals, of course, and while they’re stopped, the thieves go to work.
Adding to the appeal of container trains to crooks is the tremendous length of today’s intermodal trains, with greater likelihood parts of given train will be stopped in an isolated area. While railroads utilize private security patrols, as well as local law enforcement and their own railroad police forces, these resources cannot cover a train’s entire (often 2.5-mile) length at once.
A heavily “attacked” train usually has multiple container doors open and results in destroyed shipping cartons lining the adjacent right of way. It is not unusual to see an intermodal train rolling along a main line with many container doors open. Some are missing freight while others are just open, exposing freight, because whatever goods the container is loaded with was not of interest to thieves. Most stolen items are consumer goods that can be easily sold. Not many crooks are interested in steel coils or rolls of newsprint.
Yesterday, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported that the U.S. House passed a bill known as the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA). The bill’s authors opened with the statement that the legislation is “To combat organized crime involving the illegal acquisition of retail goods and cargo for the purpose of selling those illegally obtained goods through physical and online retail marketplaces.”
Ian Jeffries, president and CEO of AAR, said “Today’s House passage of CORCA is a win for every business, worker, and consumer who depends on the reliable and affordable movement of goods across America, and we applaud Reps. Dave Joyce [R-Ohio], Dina Titus [D-Nev.], David Valadao [R-Calif.], and Susie Lee [D-Nev.] for their leadership in championing this important legislation, alongside the bill’s 15 additional original cosponsors and the broad bipartisan support reflected in its 206 total House cosponsors. 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. Today’s House action brings Congress one step closer to delivering the federal response Americans deserve.”
AAR added that “Organized cargo theft is driving up prices for consumers and endangering supply chain workers nationwide. Major U.S. railroads alone reported more than 75,000 theft incidents valued at over $200 million in losses in 2025 — a more than 50% increase year-over-year — carried out by transnational networks that exploit enforcement gaps across jurisdictions. Despite substantial industry investments in security, only about one in ten theft attempts lead to an arrest.”
Further, according to the Association, “CORCA strengthens federal law enforcement tools, establishes a national coordination center within Homeland Security Investigations, and provides grants and training to frontline agencies. But the problem is not waiting for legislation. AAR and a broad coalition have called on the Department of Justice to more aggressively deploy existing federal resources and enforcement tools to combat organized supply chain theft, including dedicating additional prosecutorial and investigative attention to these increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
“Every American who buys groceries, orders online, or ships a package feels the cost of cargo theft. The Senate now can finish the job — pass CORCA, lower costs for consumers, protect supply chain workers, and safeguard the flow of goods that powers everyday American life.”
