On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
✓ PassedPassed348 Yea · 60 Nay · 21 Not Voting
Yea:144 D203 R
Nay:59 D1 R
What This Bill Does
Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025This bill expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail and supply chain crime. The term organized retail and supply chain crime includes criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property, the sale or receipt of stolen goods, or theft from an interstate or foreign shipment that is committed by, in coordination with, or at the instruction of an organization.First, with respect to criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property or the sale or receipt of stolen goods, the bill broadens the scope of conduct that qualifies as offenses by allowing prosecutions to be based on the aggregate value of stolen items over a 12-month period. Additionally, the bill makes the offenses predicate offenses (i.e., underlying offenses) for prosecutions under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property obtained from the proceeds of an offense.Second, with respect to criminal offenses involving theft from an interstate or foreign shipment, the bill also makes an offense an underlying offense for prosecution under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any associated property.Third, the bill expands the federal money laundering statute to include offenses involving general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, or store gift cards.Finally, the bill temporarily establishes a center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail and supply chain crime.
This bill's title gives a fair impression of what it does. This bill expands federal enforcement of organized retail and supply chain crime by broadening prosecution grounds, increasing penalties, and establishing a federal coordination center.
Watch Items
•The title does not specify how the bill addresses the aggregate value of stolen items over a 12-month period, an important detail that affects prosecution grounds.
•The title omits that a significant portion of the bill expands enforcement related to theft from interstate or foreign shipments and not just from across state lines.
•The title does not mention the introduction of new penalties for offenses involving general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, or store gift cards.