Federal law targets catalytic converter theft ring—with carve-outs for legitimate recyclers
H.R. 9904 — Deputy Darren Almendarez Act · Filed by Brandon Gill (R-TX) · 13 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 23, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal crime for knowingly possessing or purchasing catalytic converters that have been removed from vehicles, with intent to sell or distribute them or extract precious metals from them. Penalties range from fines up to $100,000 and 5 years imprisonment for a first offense, up to $200,000 and 10 years for repeat offenses. The bill carves out broad affirmative defenses for legitimate actors—vehicle owners, repair shops, recyclers, manufacturers, dealers, and law enforcement—who comply with state and local record-keeping requirements.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is straightforward criminal prohibition of a specific form of property theft. The named-after-person framing (Deputy Darren Almendarez) appears to honor a law enforcement officer, consistent with victim-protection legislation naming conventions, not vanity.
What the text implies
- Federal prosecution may create disparities in enforcement across jurisdictions with varying state-level catalytic converter regulations, potentially affecting rural or under-resourced areas differently.
- The affirmative defense for 'metal recycling entities' requires proof of legitimate acquisition chain; burden of proof may disadvantage smaller recyclers without robust documentation systems.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
automotive repair and service industry; vehicle owners (reduced theft losses and insurance costs); legitimate metal recycling businesses