[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2061 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2061

To require the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of 
  Transportation, to establish a task force to develop and implement 
 strategies to deter, prevent, and combat the theft and trafficking of 
 catalytic converters and other automobile parts that contain precious 
                      metals targeted by thieves.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 20, 2023

Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Heinrich, and Mr. Whitehouse) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of 
  Transportation, to establish a task force to develop and implement 
 strategies to deter, prevent, and combat the theft and trafficking of 
 catalytic converters and other automobile parts that contain precious 
                      metals targeted by thieves.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Catalytic Converter Theft Task Force 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TASK FORCE TO COMBAT CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered automobile parts.--The term ``covered 
        automobile parts'' means catalytic converters and other 
        automobile parts that contain precious metals targeted by 
        thieves.
            (2) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the 
        United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United 
        States.
    (b) Establishment.--The Attorney General, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Transportation, shall establish a task force to develop 
and implement strategies to deter, prevent, and combat the theft and 
trafficking of covered automobile parts (referred to in this section as 
the ``Task Force'').
    (c) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of 11 members, of 
whom--
            (1) 3 shall be appointed by the Attorney General from among 
        employees of the Criminal Division of the Department of 
        Justice;
            (2) 2 shall be appointed by the Secretary of Transportation 
        from among employees of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
        Administration; and
            (3) 6 shall be appointed by the Attorney General from among 
        representatives of State or local law enforcement agencies.
    (d) Chair; Vice Chair.--The Attorney General shall select--
            (1) a chair from among the members of the Task Force 
        appointed under subsection (c)(1); and
            (2) a vice chair from among the members of the Task Force 
        appointed under subsection (c)(3).
    (e) Duties.--The Task Force shall--
            (1) assess existing laws, regulations, and law enforcement 
        practices and resources related to the theft and trafficking of 
        covered automobile parts; and
            (2) make recommendations to Congress, the Attorney General, 
        the Secretary of Transportation, and State and local law 
        enforcement agencies on legislative, regulatory, and law 
        enforcement reforms to develop and implement strategies to 
        deter, detect, prevent, solve, and prosecute the theft and 
        trafficking of covered automobile parts.
    (f) Powers.--
            (1) Task force.--The Task Force may hold such hearings, sit 
        and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and 
        receive such evidence as the Task Force considers advisable.
            (2) Members.--A member of the Task Force may, with the 
        authorization of the Task Force, take any action that the Task 
        Force is authorized to take under this section.
    (g) Operating Rules and Procedures.--
            (1) Meetings.--
                    (A) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after 
                the date on which a majority of members of the Task 
                Force have been appointed, the Task Force shall hold an 
                initial meeting.
                    (B) Subsequent meetings.--After the initial meeting 
                under subparagraph (A), the Task Force shall meet not 
                less frequently than once every 90 days.
            (2) Voting.--Each member of the Task Force shall have 1 
        vote.
            (3) Recommendations.--The Task Force may make a 
        recommendation under subsection (e)(2) only upon a majority 
        vote.
            (4) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Task Force 
        shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
        hold meetings, gather information, and review draft reports.
    (h) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        on which a majority of the members of the Task Force have been 
        appointed, the Task Force shall submit an initial report on its 
        composition, activities, and planned activities to--
                    (A) Congress;
                    (B) the Attorney General; and
                    (C) the Secretary of Transportation.
            (2) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        on which the Task Force is established under subsection (b), 
        the Task Force shall submit an interim report on its 
        legislative, regulatory, and law enforcement recommendations 
        to--
                    (A) Congress;
                    (B) the Attorney General;
                    (C) the Secretary of Transportation; and
                    (D) the attorney general of each State.
            (3) Periodic updates.--The Task Force shall provide 
        periodic updates to Congress on its activities and planned 
        activities.
            (4) Final report.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        on which the Task Force is established under subsection (b), 
        the Task Force shall submit a final report on its legislative, 
        regulatory, and law enforcement recommendations to--
                    (A) Congress;
                    (B) the Attorney General;
                    (C) the Secretary of Transportation; and
                    (D) the attorney general of each State.
    (i) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date that 
is 18 months after the date on which the Task Force is established 
under subsection (b).
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