Letter to the U.S. Senate Leadership on Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA)

The World Shipping Council, alongside nearly 200 organizations, signed the below letter to U.S. Senate Leadership in support of the ‘Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA)’

June 2, 2026

Dear Majority Leader Thune, Minority Leader Schumer, Majority Whip Barrasso, and Minority Whip Durbin:

Following the House’s overwhelming bipartisan passage of H.R. 2853, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA)1, the undersigned organizations urge the Senate to advance this legislation.

The House vote of 348-60 reflects bipartisan recognition that organized retail and supply chain crime requires a federal response, as it is being driven by coordinated, multi-state criminal networks. These are not isolated incidents, and current enforcement tools are not keeping pace with the scale and sophistication of these operations. And these are not petty theft crimes suited for local enforcement. Organized retail and supply chain crime costs businesses billions of dollars annually, and the average value of each stolen shipment from a truck is over $300,000, costing the industry $18 million per day2. These networks are responsible for large-scale theft, operate across jurisdictions, exploit gaps in coordination, and use evolving technologies and financial channels to expand their reach.

Retailers, manufacturers, transportation providers, and workers across the supply chain continue to experience the real-world consequences of these crimes—from heightened risks to frontline employees and transportation workers to disruptions in the movement of goods—whether by rail or truck, or at distribution centers, that communities rely on, particularly as families prepare for the back-to-school season and depend on reliable access to essential items. In recent years, these crimes have also become more violent, increasing the risks faced by workers, law enforcement, and the communities they serve. Criminal networks increasingly exploit cargo, resale channels, and financial mechanisms, including gift cards, to convert stolen goods into proceeds that fuel broader illicit activity.

CORCA is designed to address these challenges by focusing federal resources on organized criminal enterprises and strengthening coordination across federal, state, and local partners. The legislation enhances information-sharing, supports joint investigations, and improves collaboration between law enforcement and the private sector. In doing so, it better equips investigators and prosecutors to identify, target, and dismantle the networks responsible for these crimes rather than focusing on lower-level activity.

Importantly, CORCA is narrowly focused on organized criminal conduct. It does not address routine retail theft, nor does it expand immigration or border enforcement authorities. Instead, it reflects a targeted, bipartisan effort to close persistent gaps that sophisticated criminal enterprises continue to exploit.

The House’s overwhelming bipartisan vote, following unanimous approval in the House Judiciary Committee, demonstrates that Congress can come together to address this growing threat to public safety, workers, and commerce. We respectfully urge Senate leadership to build on this momentum by advancing CORCA for timely consideration and passage in the Senate.

The full letter, and list of signatories is available here.