Following a surge in organized retail theft, Congress plans to pass new legislation aimed at preventing the online resale of stolen goods. The new law would require third-party sellers to give personal identifying information if they often sell goods online. President Joe Biden is anticipated to sign the bill this week when it passes.
According to the Washington Examiner, the Integrity, Notification, and Fairness in Online Retail Marketplaces for Consumers Act, or INFORM Consumers Act, which Democrat Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois authored, was already approved by the House in November. Tech lobbyists applauded the law for giving stronger tools for preventing the resale of stolen goods. The bill garnered support from both parties and several law enforcement organizations. Additionally, retailers, including Walgreens and Home Depot, support the legislation.
In the omnibus package, Congress also prohibited downloading TikTok onto government devices. The Senate unanimously approved the law last week, with support from The House as well.
The bigger plan would authorize $858 billion for defense expenditure and $772 billion for discretionary non-defense spending, both higher than levels from the previous year. The omnibus bill will first be considered in the Senate, and a time agreement will be needed to hasten the vote. However, it’s still unclear if any representatives will try to stop the bill from passing.
