Congress targets catalytic converter theft with federal marking, tracking, and criminal penalties.

What it does

This bill creates a federal anti-theft program for catalytic converters by requiring manufacturers to mark them with identification numbers, establishing a grant program to help law enforcement and vehicle owners stamp their converters, and making it illegal to buy, sell, or possess stolen or tampered catalytic converters. It also creates new federal crimes for stealing catalytic converters and trafficking in stolen parts, with penalties up to 5 years in prison.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core function is to reduce catalytic converter theft through identification marking, law enforcement tracking, and criminal penalties. It is straightforward public-safety legislation addressing a documented crime problem.

What the text implies

• The unique part identification database accessible to law enforcement creates a new federal tracking system for vehicle parts, which may have privacy implications if the database is later expanded or accessed beyond its stated anti-theft purpose.
• Requiring traceable payment (no cash or cryptocurrency) for catalytic converter sales may disproportionately burden informal repair shops and small salvage operations that rely on cash transactions, potentially consolidating the market toward larger, more formal entities.
• The $7 million grant program is funded from unobligated American Rescue Plan balances, which may reduce flexibility in pandemic-relief spending or create pressure to reprogram other COVID-related funds.

Who it affects

Ordinary citizens benefit from reduced catalytic converter theft (a widespread property crime affecting vehicle owners), lower insurance costs, and improved law enforcement tools to track stolen parts. The bill imposes compliance costs on manufacturers and sellers, but these are passed through normal market channels and do not directly harm the public.

Who stands to gain

• automotive manufacturers (compliance costs offset by reduced theft-related warranty claims)
• law enforcement agencies (grant funding for equipment)
• vehicle fleet operators (reduced theft losses)
• auto repair shops and service centers (grant eligibility for stamping services)

Named in the bill

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Attorney General, law enforcement agencies, automobile dealers, automobile repair shops, vehicle fleet operators, nonprofit organizations, American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Where it stands

74 cosponsors: 48 Democrats, 26 Republicans.

• Sep 9, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Sep 9, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade”
• Feb 10, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

23 lobbying clients named this bill on 33 disclosure filings across 4 quarters, Sep 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $22,677,931 in lobbying spend. A filing names 8 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 97% of bills with at least one filing.

James Baird, the sponsor, reported $228,500 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• General Motors Company — $6,610,000 on 2 filings
• Toyota Motor North America Inc (tma) — $3,483,687 on 2 filings
• Alliance for Automotive Innovation — $2,756,244 on 2 filings
• American Property Casualty Insurance Association — $2,140,000 on 1 filing
• UPS (united Parcel Service) — $1,500,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 22, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.