On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee for voting to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), a bipartisan bill that seeks to establish a unified, federal response to the proliferation of cargo theft perpetrated by criminals who often operate across state and international borders.
The American Trucking Associations has supported passage of this legislation.
This development is the result of multiple congressional hearings where members of the ATA testified. ATA President & CEO Chris Spear testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee in December to urge lawmakers to support CORCA.
As CORCA heads to the full House of Representatives for consideration, Congress is poised to use the appropriations process this week to enhance enforcement capabilities against cargo theft.
“As the transportation mode entrusted with moving nearly three-quarters of the nation’s freight, trucking has become a top target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations. These brazen criminals rob our industry of millions of dollars every day, raising costs for consumers and putting truck drivers at risk in the process,” said Spear. “The trucking industry refuses to accept this status quo any longer. The passage of CORCA by the House Judiciary Committee represents a pivotal moment in our fight to protect our supply chain.”
Cargo theft is becoming increasingly prevalent and high-tech, and it often originates overseas. The American Transportation Research Institute calculated that cargo theft costs the trucking industry over $18 million per day.
Introduced by a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers last year and now cosponsored by about 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. The Department of Homeland Security would be tasked with leading a cohesive national response to cargo theft.
Credit: Source link
