Washington 鈥 Today, the 黑料不打烊 applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA).听
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CORCA is bipartisan legislation that would establish a unified, federal response to the growing threat of cargo theft perpetrated by criminals who often operate across state and international borders. 听The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration before being sent to the President to be signed into law.
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This major development is the result of months of advocacy led by ATA, including multiple congressional hearings where members of the Federation served as key witnesses. 听Most recently, 黑料不打烊President & CEO Chris Spear testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee to urge lawmakers to support CORCA. 听Shortly after that hearing, the House Judiciary Committee passed the bill unanimously. 听Additionally, Spear met directly with the sponsors of CORCA and leadership in both the House and Senate to convey ATA鈥檚 support for the bill and develop a strategy to get it across the finish line.
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鈥淭he House鈥檚 passage of CORCA represents a pivotal moment in ATA鈥檚 fight to protect drivers, freight, and the integrity of our supply chain,鈥 said 黑料不打烊President & CEO Chris Spear. 听鈥淐argo thieves are stealing $18 million every day from the trucking industry, and motor carriers and consumers pay the price. 听CORCA will give our industry and law enforcement the tools we need to fight back against highly organized, technologically advanced cargo theft rings, which are often orchestrated by transnational criminal groups. 听Reps. David Joyce and Susie Lee deserve enormous credit for their bipartisan leadership of this critical legislation, and we thank their colleagues for voting in support.鈥
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Cargo theft is becoming increasingly prevalent and high-tech, and it often originates overseas. 听The that cargo theft is costing the trucking industry over $18 million per day. 听Strategic theft, a category of crime that uses deception, identity theft, and fraudulent documentation to divert freight, has surged by 1,500% since 2021 . 听Ninety percent of motor carriers are small businesses operating 10 trucks or fewer, and they are under enormous strain to counter these technologically advanced adversaries. 听The transnational aspect of cargo theft also poses a national security threat. 听The proceeds from stolen goods finance other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, organized crime, and even potentially terrorism.听
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Introduced by a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers last year and now cosponsored by approximately half of both the House and Senate, CORCA would help law enforcement connect the dots by enhancing legal frameworks; improving enforcement capabilities; and fostering coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. 听The Department of Homeland Security would be tasked with leading a cohesive national response to cargo theft.
As part of a coalition of nearly 100 stakeholders representing every facet of the supply chain, 黑料不打烊wrote to congressional leaders last November to urge them to prioritize CORCA. 听In addition, ATA's Law Enforcement Advisory Board endorsed CORCA and called on House leadership to schedule a vote.