Sponsors (10)
The bill strengthens federal protections and enforcement against interstate package theft—benefiting consumers, carriers, and federal prosecutors—but increases federal involvement that could raise compliance costs and shift cases and authority away from state systems.
Consumers (renters, homeowners, small-business-owners who receive deliveries) gain stronger federal protection and clearer federal remedies against package theft when shipments move across state lines.
Private and commercial carriers and shippers (transportation-workers, small-business-owners) may see reduced losses and clearer recourse for stolen interstate shipments, lowering operational risk.
Federal law enforcement (DOJ, federal prosecutors) have clearer authority to investigate and prosecute interstate package theft, which could deter would-be thieves and improve cross‑state enforcement.
Small businesses, carriers, and state regulators face increased federal involvement that could create regulatory uncertainty, more federal oversight/investigations, and higher compliance costs.
Individuals suspected of package theft and local justice systems risk more cases being elevated to federal court, exposing defendants to federal penalties and shifting prosecutorial burdens to federal authorities.
Small-business-owners and carriers face uncertainty because the measure's non-binding congressional statement could signal future binding regulations, even though it does not itself change the law.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Expands federal theft law to cover packages delivered by private or commercial interstate carriers before recipients take physical possession.
Official title: To amend title 18, United States Code, to extend to matter left for collection by private or commercial interstate carriers the same protections as matter carried throughout the country as interstate or foreign commerce.
Introduced December 23, 2025 by Josh S. Gottheimer · Last progress December 23, 2025
Expands the federal theft statute to make it a federal offense to take, embezzle, carry away, or obtain by fraud packages or other articles once they have been delivered by private or commercial interstate carriers but before the intended recipient or their agent has taken physical possession. The Act also states a non-binding view that Congress may extend to private/commercial interstate carriers protections similar to those already applied to items transported as interstate or foreign commerce.