A coalition of nearly 200 businesses and trade organizations delivered a joint letter to Senate leadership Tuesday, urging swift action to pass legislation aimed at curbing a sophisticated surge in cargo theft and supply chain crime.
The American Trucking Associations delivered the letter cosigned by 191 groups — including the Truckload Carriers Association, 40 state-level trucking and motor carrier associations, and retail giants Amazon and Walmart — to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-S.D.), and Minority Leader Charles Schumer, (D-N.Y.).
The push follows the House of Representatives’ overwhelming 348-60 bipartisan passage of H.R. 2853, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA). The bill previously received unanimous approval from the House Judiciary Committee.
"Organized retail and supply chain crime requires a federal response, as it is being driven by coordinated, multi-state criminal networks," the coalition wrote in the letter. "These are not isolated incidents, and current enforcement tools are not keeping pace with the scale and sophistication of these operations."
The coalition noted that the crimes are not petty thefts suited for local law enforcement. According to research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), cargo theft costs the trucking industry more than $18 million per day, with the average value of a single stolen truck shipment exceeding $300,000.
Industry leaders say the problem has grown increasingly high-tech and often originates overseas. Data from CargoNet shows a 1,500% surge since 2021 in strategic theft, a method where criminals use deception, identity theft, and fraudulent documentation to divert freight.
An amendment to the BUILD America 250 Act would require the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to implement automated systems to flag suspicious commercial vehicle registrations and crack down on identity theft.
While overall theft fell, deceptive pickup — fraud, identity theft and impersonation of carriers — climbed 31% year-over-year, accounting for 10% of all incidents in the first three months of this year, according to Overhaul’s U.S. Q1 2026 Cargo Theft Report.
The financial toll heavily impacts small businesses; 90% of motor carriers operate 10 or fewer trucks and face immense strain countering advanced criminal networks. Officials also warn of national security threats, as proceeds from stolen goods are used to finance drug trafficking, organized crime, and potentially terrorism.
Beyond economic damage, the coalition highlighted growing safety risks for frontline transportation and retail workers as these multi-jurisdictional crimes become more violent. Criminal networks are also increasingly exploiting resale channels and financial mechanisms, such as gift cards, to launder their profits.
First introduced last year by a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers, CORCA is cosponsored by roughly half of both the House and Senate.
If enacted, the bill would task the Department of Homeland Security with leading a cohesive national response to cargo theft. The legislation is designed to enhance information-sharing, improve enforcement capabilities, and foster better coordination among federal, state, and local agencies to dismantle large-scale criminal enterprises.
Supporters emphasized that CORCA is narrowly focused on organized criminal conduct. It does not address routine retail theft, nor does it expand immigration or border enforcement authorities.
"The House's overwhelming bipartisan vote... demonstrates that Congress can come together to address this growing threat to public safety, workers, and commerce," the letter stated. "We respectfully urge Senate leadership to build on this momentum by advancing CORCA for timely consideration and passage in the Senate."
