ReMA Applauds House Passage of Legislation to Address Surging Cargo Theft and Protect U.S. Supply Chains

(May 13, 2026 - Washington, D.C.) - Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) President Robin Wiener today released the following statement in response to House passage of H.R. 2853, the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 (CORCA):

"ReMA commends the House for passing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act (H.R. 2853). Cargo theft is rising across the United States, and this legislation represents a critical step toward protecting supply chains and strengthening U.S. economic resilience.

"CORCA provides a federal framework to address increasingly sophisticated interstate and transnational thefts targeting trucks, rail shipments, and storage facilities that transport high value goods, including recycled materials that serve as essential inputs for domestic manufacturing. ReMA's more than 1,700 member companies provide high-quality recycled materials manufacturers rely on to produce everything from infrastructure and vehicles to consumer goods and advanced energy technologies.

"Cargo theft is not an isolated crime - it disrupts our supply chains, endangers our workers, increases operational costs, and undermines legitimate markets for recycled materials, an industry that generates $184 billion in total annual economic activity across the U.S. economy.

"ReMA has worked proactively with law enforcement, policymakers, and industry partners to combat materials theft through the development of educational resources and ReMA's Scrap Theft Alert, which helps companies and law enforcement rapidly share information on stolen materials, suspicious activity, and active theft incidents across the nation.

"By improving coordination across law enforcement agencies and strengthening the investigation and prosecution of organized theft networks, CORCA will help protect the movement of materials across state lines and make U.S. supply chains more resilient.

"ReMA thanks Rep. David Joyce (R-OH-14) for his leadership and urges the Senate to act quickly to advance this legislation to protect the movement of recycled materials across the U.S. economy."

###

The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) represents more than 1,700 companies in the U.S. and 40 countries around the globe. Based in Washington, D.C., ReMA provides advocacy, education, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycled materials play in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development.