PASSED HOUSE: Lee’s Legislation to Combat Organized Retail Crime

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee’s (NV-03) bipartisan, bicameral Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, which would strengthen coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat organized retail crime (ORC) and deter individuals and groups involved in ORC, passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation earned broad bipartisan support, with 348 members voting in favor of the bill. 

“Organized retail crime isn’t typical shoplifting — it’s a coordinated criminal enterprise that puts all of us in danger and hurts consumers, taxpayers, and businesses of all sizes. We need to work to dismantle these criminal networks,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “While our local and state law enforcement are doing incredible work, it shouldn’t be left up to them alone—we need coordination at the federal level to investigate and prosecute these crimes. I’m glad my bill is one step closer to becoming law so we can give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on these criminal operations.”

In Nevada, ORC caused an estimated loss of $85 million in tax revenue and over $466 million in the total amount of goods stolen in 2021. ORC affects consumers, workers, and businesses — costing over $1 billion in lost products, higher insurance, increased prices of goods, and unrealized wages in Nevada alone. The National Retail Federation also ranked Las Vegas as the #6 city most affected by retail crime in 2025. Lee recently joined Catalyst Brands, parent company of JCPenney, the National Retail Federation, and the Nevada Organized Retail Crime Association to discuss the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and the impact of ORC in Nevada. 

The bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would:

• Establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security. 
• Designate ORC a federal crime and equip federal investigators and prosecutors to combat these operations. 
• Require the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to report to Congress on this type of crime and enforcement.

Congresswoman Lee introduced the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act with Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14). Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. On January 30, 2026, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously passed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, teeing it up for this vote by the full House of Representatives. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration. 

The Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act is supported by over two dozen organizations across retail, law enforcement, transportation, and more, including the National Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association, International Council of Shopping Centers, American Trucking Association, UPS, Amazon, Home Depot, Milwaukee Tools, and National Fraternal Order of Police.

“Organized retail crime continues to pose a significant threat to the safety of retail employees, customers and communities nationwide. We thank Congresswoman Lee for her leadership on the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and appreciate the strong bipartisan support it has received in the House,” said David French, NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations. “This legislation enhances federal coordination to fight retail crime and equips law enforcement with the tools needed to combat sophisticated criminal networks. We urge the Senate to quickly advance this bill and send it to the president for signature.”

“Fraud-driven criminal networks threaten the safety and security of American communities, highlighting the need for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA),” said Sarah Gilmore, RILA senior director. “We appreciate Rep. Lee and CORCA’s bipartisan cosponsors for their commitment to addressing organized retail crime. RILA is enthusiastic about this legislation’s potential to improve safety for consumers, communities, and retailers.”

“Today’s bipartisan passage of the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act marks a major victory for communities, retailers, employees, and consumers across the country,” said Tom McGee, President and CEO of ICSC. “Organized retail crime threatens public safety, disrupts local economies, and places enormous strain on retailers and property owners of all sizes. ICSC is proud to have worked alongside lawmakers, industry partners, and law enforcement since this legislation was first introduced, and we thank the House for advancing this critical bipartisan solution. We now urge the Senate to act quickly so this legislation can be signed into law.”

“Cargo thieves are stealing $18 million every day from the trucking industry, and motor carriers and consumers pay the price,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear. “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.  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.”

“Organized retail and supply chain crime is not a victimless issue. These increasingly sophisticated criminal networks threaten workers, disrupt legitimate commerce, and create ripple effects across the broader economy,” said James Wamsley, Group President of Global Operations at Milwaukee Tool. “Milwaukee Tool thanks Rep. Joyce and Rep. Lee for their leadership and supports the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act as an important step toward stronger coordination and enforcement to help disrupt these criminal operations.”

Congresswoman Lee sits on the House Appropriations committee, the committee in charge of federal spending, where she secured $4.4 billion in federal grants for state and local law enforcement in the most recent fiscal year – a $780 million increase from the previous year. She will continue working to ensure local law enforcement officers have the tools and resources they need to keep southern Nevada safe.

###