WASHINGTON — Congress took a step forward in cracking down on organized retail crime as the House passed a bill Tuesday night that would give federal law enforcement officials new funding to go after criminals.
The House passed the legislation under fast-track rules that required a two-thirds majority.
For the first time since the issue has gained attention on Capitol Hill, the House approved one of a total of five pending bills addressing organized retail crime.
The fashion industry has a big stake in legislation combating the crime, which has been on the rise in recent years as criminals become more brazen and larger quantities of merchandise are being stolen at stores nationwide. The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates organized retail crime costs U.S. merchants $15 billion to $30 billion annually. The bill would authorize $5 million per year for fiscal years 2011-2015 and direct the U.S. Attorney General to set up an organized retail theft and prosecution unit with the Department of Justice to help state and local law enforcement agencies investigate and prosecute the theft.
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The Senate must also pass the measure before it can go to the president’s desk, but the prospects are unclear in that body as lawmakers plan to adjourn as early as the end of the week to campaign for the midterm elections.
“From our perspective, this is a good first step,” said John Emling senior vice president of government affairs for the Retail Industry Leaders Association. “It gives the DOJ additional resource to go after organized retail crime but we still firmly believe the focus has to be placed on prevention.”
Emling said he hopes other legislative measures addressing the growing problem advance, particularly those that establish a threshold for punishment of criminals who commit organized retail crime.
“This bill is one of the keys to protecting both retailers and consumers against the massive economic costs and very real public health and safety risks posed by organized retail crime,” said Steve Pfister, senior vice president of the National Retail Federation.
“Establishing a team of law enforcement professionals dedicated to fighting these crimes and working in close consultation with retailers shows the importance of the issue to industry, consumers and law enforcement, and serves as an important deterrent to perpetrators.”