AAR supports bill to combat organized retail crime

The Association of American Railroads is calling on Congress to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), a bill designed by its sponsors to crack down on flash mob robberies and retail theft schemes. 

If passed, the legislation would be a critical step in confronting the organized theft networks that are increasingly targeting freight railroads, truckers, retailers and workers, AAR officials said in a press release. The House Judiciary Committee recently approved the bipartisan bill.

"These sophisticated, multijurisdictional criminal operations disrupt supply chains, endanger employees and communities, and increase costs for consumers — challenges that railroads have invested heavily to address but cannot solve alone without a strong federal response," AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies said this week. "We look forward to passage by the full U.S. House of Representatives, swift action in the U.S. Senate, and ultimate enactment of this bipartisan legislation to strengthen law enforcement coordination, protect the flow of goods and safeguard America’s economy.”

Organized cargo theft cost major railroads over $100 million in 2024, according to AAR.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) also has called on Congress to pass CORCA.

"The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act establishes a coordinated crime center within Homeland Security Investigations to foster collaboration across jurisdictions, enhance investigative resources and build upon the progress that has been made at the state level," said NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French in a press release.