In a Congress where bipartisan agreement on virtually anything is rare, 47 House members — 30 Democrats and 17 Republicans — have signed onto a single piece of crime legislation. The PART Act bill, formally known as H.R. 5221, targets the theft of catalytic converters, those exhaust-system components packed with precious metals that thieves can saw off a vehicle in under two minutes.

Why it matters: Catalytic converter theft reported nationally surged to roughly 64,700 insurance claims in 2022, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Numbers have come down since then, but the problem remains persistent — and the patchwork of state laws has left gaps that organized rings exploit by moving stolen goods across state lines.

What the PART Act Does

The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act, introduced September 9, 2025, by Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN-4), attacks the problem on four fronts:

  • Marking and tracking: Requires manufacturers to stamp catalytic converters with vehicle identification numbers or unique part IDs linked to a law-enforcement-accessible database.
  • Grant funding: Creates a $7 million federal program for law enforcement agencies, auto dealers, repair shops, and nonprofits to acquire stamping equipment and high-visibility theft-deterrence paint.
  • Transaction controls: Bans cash and cryptocurrency purchases of catalytic converters and requires businesses that buy or recycle parts containing precious metals to retain seller records for at least two years.
  • Criminal penalties: Establishes a new federal felony for catalytic converter theft — up to five years in prison — and expands the definition of "chop shop" to cover operations that extract precious metals from stolen parts.

Replacement costs for victims reportedly range from $900 to $4,500 per vehicle, according to ConsumerAffairs and other industry estimates.

Who’s Behind the Bipartisan PART Act Cosponsors List

The coalition spans the ideological map. On the Republican side, cosponsors include Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA-1), Brian Babin (R-TX-36), Mike Rogers (R-AL-3), Ashley Hinson (R-IA-2), and Mike Bost (R-IL-12). Democrats on the bill include Reps. Betty McCollum (D-MN-4), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6), Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Seth Magaziner (D-RI-2), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5), among many others.

Several of these members cosponsored a previous version of the bill in the 118th Congress, suggesting sustained commitment rather than election-year positioning.

Rep. Baird posted on Facebook that he was "proud to reintroduce the PART Act with Congresswoman Betty McCollum to help reduce catalytic converter thefts and provide local law enforcement with the tools they need."

Rep. Gottheimer, meanwhile, has been vocal about theft-related legislation more broadly. He recently introduced the "bipartisan Porch Pirates Act to help stop the holiday Grinches from snatching your packages," describing it as a bill that will "protect UPS, FedEx, Amazon, & other packages under the same laws we already have for other types of mail." His backing of the PART Act fits that same anti-theft legislative lane.

Why This Bill Cuts Across Party Lines

The bipartisan PART Act support is not accidental. The bill sits at a rare intersection: it satisfies conservative priorities around law enforcement empowerment and criminal accountability while addressing progressive priorities around consumer protection and financial transparency.

For Republicans, there are new federal felony charges, expanded chop shop definitions, and tools for police. For Democrats, there are bans on untraceable transactions, corporate record-keeping mandates, and community grant programs.

Geography matters, too. The 47 cosponsors represent districts in California, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, Indiana, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Colorado, Iowa, and more. NICB data shows that catalytic converter theft hits urban, suburban, and rural communities alike — giving members from both red and blue districts constituent-driven reasons to sign on.

Industry Backs the Push in PART Act Congress 2025

The bill has drawn lobbying interest from 14 organizations, including General Motors, Toyota Motor North America, United Parcel Service, the American Trucking Associations, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

The National Automobile Dealers Association has been particularly active. NADA spokesperson Amy Wright stated, according to Auto Remarketing: "America’s franchised auto and truck dealers applaud the House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade subcommittee for its vote to protect consumers and small businesses from the widespread theft of catalytic converters."

NADA also sent a letter to the subcommittee with 28 cosigners — including the National Auto Auction Association and Carvana — urging passage, according to the same report.

Where the Bill Stands Now

The PART Act has cleared the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit by voice vote and been forwarded to the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. It has also been referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

A voice vote at the subcommittee level is a procedural signal that the bill faced no organized opposition from either party at that stage.

The White House Has Not Weighed In

There is no publicly available Statement of Administration Policy on H.R. 5221. That is typical for legislation still in committee — the White House generally issues formal positions when bills approach a floor vote. The bill’s focus on crime prevention and law enforcement tools aligns broadly with the current administration’s public safety messaging, but no formal endorsement or opposition has been recorded.

The Bottom Line

The PART Act represents a federal answer to a crime that has cost American vehicle owners hundreds of millions of dollars. Its combination of prevention, deterrence, enforcement tools, and grant funding addresses the problem from multiple angles.

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