The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) has publicly endorsed the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and cosponsored by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada). The legislation aims to address rising incidents of organized retail theft through a coordinated multi-agency response.
Brad Hartkopf, Senior Director of Public Policy at ABI, expressed support for the bill, stating, “Grassley’s long record of practical problem-solving continues with this effort. His leadership ensures that Iowa’s voice is shaping national policy on an issue that affects every business and every household in our state.”
Earlier this year, Grassley led a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on organized retail crime. During the hearing, expert witnesses called for congressional action on CORCA. Since then, support for the bill has expanded to include 38 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations, advocacy groups, and more than 260 businesses affected by retail crime.
In an op-ed published in The Gazette, Hartkopf highlighted the impact of cargo theft on Iowa businesses and consumers. He cited data from CBS Iowa indicating that trucking cargo theft incidents in Iowa have increased by 1,500% since 2021. This trend mirrors a nationwide surge resulting in significant financial losses as goods are stolen from trucks, railcars, and warehouses before reaching retailers.
Hartkopf wrote that three-quarters of Iowa trucking companies have experienced theft within the past 18 months. He emphasized that these crimes lead to higher costs for businesses and consumers due to lost inventory and increased insurance rates.
CORCA proposes establishing a national coordination center to facilitate intelligence sharing among law enforcement agencies and improve efforts to track and recover stolen goods across state lines. The bill would also provide new tools for the Department of Homeland Security to pursue criminal networks involved in these thefts.
The Association of American Railroads has also voiced support for CORCA: “Cargo theft is not a victimless crime — it increases costs for consumers, endangers workers, and threatens the reliability of the supply chain.” Freight rail accounts for about 40% of U.S. long-distance freight movement and has seen its own rise in targeted thefts.
Hartkopf concluded his remarks by reiterating ABI’s belief in solutions that promote economic growth while protecting consumers: “CORCA does just that — strengthening law enforcement coordination, improving data sharing and helping safeguard the goods that keep our economy running.”
He added: “Sen. Grassley’s long record of practical problem-solving continues with this effort. His leadership ensures that Iowa’s voice is shaping national policy on an issue that affects every business and every household in our state.”
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