The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) has announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), a bipartisan bill led 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 increasing incidents of organized retail theft, recover stolen goods, and prevent future crimes through a coordinated federal response.
Brad Hartkopf, Senior Director of Public Policy at ABI, stated, “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 chaired a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on organized retail crime. During the hearing, expert witnesses highlighted the need for congressional action on CORCA. Since then, the bill has received endorsements from 38 state attorneys general, advocacy groups, major law enforcement organizations, and more than 260 businesses affected by retail crime.
Cargo theft has been rising sharply in Iowa and nationwide. According to CBS Iowa, trucking cargo theft incidents in the state have increased by 1,500% since 2021. This trend is part of a broader national surge costing billions of dollars each year. Stolen items range from groceries and clothing to electronics and medical supplies. Three-quarters of Iowa trucking companies reported being affected within the past 18 months.
Hartkopf explained that these thefts result in higher costs for businesses due to lost inventory and increased insurance rates—costs which are eventually passed on to consumers.
CORCA proposes establishing a national coordination center for law enforcement agencies to share information about stolen goods across state lines. It would also provide new tools for the Department of Homeland Security to pursue organized crime rings responsible for many large-scale thefts.
The Association of American Railroads supports the bill as well: “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 shipments and has experienced its own rise in targeted thefts.
In Iowa’s economy—where agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics play central roles—cargo theft presents significant challenges to productivity and profitability.
ABI maintains that CORCA will help protect economic growth while supporting consumer interests by improving law enforcement coordination and data sharing related to cargo security.
“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,” Hartkopf said again in his op-ed.
He concluded that while cargo theft often makes headlines, solutions require steady bipartisan cooperation—a process he says Iowa is helping lead.
