the retrieval of the full vehicle identification num-
ber.’’. 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR VIN STAMPING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall establish a program to provide grants to 
eligible entities to carry out covered activities, excluding 
wages, related to catalytic converters. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such infor-
mation as the Secretary may require. 
(c) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—In this section, eligible en-
tities are the following: 
(1) Law enforcement agencies. 
(2) Automobile dealers. 
(3) Owners and lessees of centrally maintained 
vehicle fleets. 
(4) Automobile repair shops and service centers. 
(5) Nonprofit organizations. 
(d) COVERED ACTIVITIES.—Grant funds provided 
under this section may be used for equipment and mate-
rials necessary to carry out die or pin stamping of either 
the full vehicle identification number or a unique part 
identification number in a law enforcement accessible 
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database that allows for the retrieval of the full vehicle 
identification number onto the outside of the catalytic con-
verter in a conspicuous manner on motor vehicles. Such 
stamping shall be— 
(1) in a typed font and not handwritten; and 
(2) covered by applying a coat of high-visibility, 
high-heat theft deterrence paint. 
(e) REQUIREMENT.—In carrying out the program 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that each 
recipient of a grant is able to provide die or pin stamping 
services described in subsection (d) to the public. 
(f) PRIORITIZATION.—In making grants under this 
section, the Secretary shall prioritize— 
(1) eligible entities operating in the areas with 
the highest need for die or pin stamping described 
in subsection (d), including the areas with the high-
est rates of catalytic converter theft; and 
(2) eligible entities that are in possession of 
motor vehicles that are subject to section 3(b). 
(g) PROCEDURES FOR MARKING.—In carrying out 
the program established under subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall issue such regulations as are necessary to es-
tablish procedures to mark catalytic converters of vehicles 
most likely to be targeted for theft with unique identifica-
tion numbers using a combination of die or pin stamping 
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and high-visibility, high-heat theft deterrence paint with-
out damaging the function of such converter. 
(h) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually there-
after for 10 years, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a report on the program established under subsection (a) 
that includes a description of the progress, results, and 
any findings of the program, including the total number 
of catalytic converters marked under the program and, to 
the extent known, whether any catalytic converters 
marked under the program were stolen and the outcome 
of any criminal investigation into the threats. 
(i) FUNDING.— 
(1) UNOBLIGATED
FUNDING
AVAILABLE.—Of 
the unobligated balances appropriated by the Amer-
ican Rescue Plan Act of 2021, $7,000,000 shall be 
made available to carry out this section. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
the event that the total of $7,000,000 of the funds 
described under paragraph (1) may not be made 
available to carry out this section, there are author-
ized to be appropriated to carry out this section an 
amount equal to the remaining funding necessary to 
total $7,000,000. 
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(j) CENTRALLY MAINTAINED VEHICLE FLEET DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘centrally maintained 
vehicle fleet’’ means a group of vehicles for which each 
aspect of management, including maintenance, repair, fuel 
management, and vehicle acquisition, is overseen and con-
trolled by a single entity. 
SEC. 5. REQUIREMENTS FOR PURCHASE OF CATALYTIC 
CONVERTERS AND RETENTION OF SELLER 
INFORMATION. 
(a) INCLUSION OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.—Para-
graph (7) of section 33101 of title 49, United States Code 
(as redesignated by section 3(d)), is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (K), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as sub-
paragraph (M); 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (K), the 
following: 
‘‘(L) the catalytic converter; and’’; and 
(4) in subparagraph (M), as so redesignated, by 
striking ‘‘subclauses (A)–(K) of this clause’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subparagraphs (A) through (L) of this 
paragraph’’. 
(b) RETENTION
OF RECORDS.—Section 33111 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a), in the subsection heading, 
by striking ‘‘GENERAL REQUIREMENTS’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘PROHIBITIONS RELATED TO SELLING MOTOR 
VEHICLE PARTS’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) RETENTION OF RECORDS.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—A person engaged in the 
business of salvaging, dismantling, recycling, or re-
pairing motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts that 
contain precious metals shall retain the records of 
any seller of motor vehicle parts that sells such a 
part to such person, including the following: 
‘‘(A) The name, address, telephone num-
ber, and a photocopy of a government-issued 
identification of the seller. 
‘‘(B) With regard to the motor vehicle or 
motor vehicle from which the parts came, the 
following: 
‘‘(i) The make. 
‘‘(ii) The model. 
‘‘(iii) The vehicle identification num-
ber or a unique part identification number 
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marked, etched, or engraved on the con-
verter that can be tied directly to the vehi-
cle identification number of the vehicle. 
‘‘(iv) The date of purchase. 
‘‘(2) DURATION OF RETENTION.—Such person 
shall retain such information for a period of at least 
two years. 
‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) PRECIOUS METALS.—The term ‘pre-
cious metals’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 109–27.5101 of title 41, Code of 
Federal Regulations, or any successor regula-
tion. 
‘‘(B) UNIQUE PART IDENTIFICATION NUM-
BER.—The term ‘unique part identification 
number’, with respect to a motor vehicle part, 
means a unique part identification number 
that— 
‘‘(i) is marked, etched, or engraved on 
the motor vehicle part; and 
‘‘(ii) is tied directly to the vehicle 
identification number of the vehicle on 
which the part was originally installed.’’. 
(c) PROHIBITION ON SALE OF CERTAIN CATALYTIC 
CONVERTERS.—It shall be unlawful to sell or purchase 
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any catalytic converter which has had identifying mark-
ings removed or otherwise tampered with. 
(d) TRACEABLE FORM OF PAYMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Any purchase or sale of a 
catalytic converter shall be made with a traceable 
form of payment, including check and wire transfer. 
(2) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful to sell 
or purchase any catalytic converter for cash or 
cryptocurrency. 
(e) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General shall pre-
scribe regulations to carry out this section and the amend-
ments made by this section, including the enforcement and 
penalties that apply to a violation of this section and the 
amendments made by this section. 
SEC. 6. CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 
(a) THEFT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.—Chapter 
31 of title 18, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 671. Theft of catalytic converters 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CATALYTIC CONVERTER.—The term ‘cata-
lytic converter’ means any of the following: 
‘‘(A) Any device installed in the exhaust 
system of an internal combustion engine that 
utilizes catalytic action to oxidize hydrocarbon 
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(HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions to 
carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). 
‘‘(B) A diesel oxidation catalyst. 
‘‘(C) A diesel particulate filter. 
‘‘(2) PRECIOUS METALS.—The term ‘precious 
metals’ has the meaning given the term in section 
109–27.5101 of title 41, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, or any successor regulation. 
‘‘(b) OFFENSE.—It shall be unlawful to steal or 
knowingly and unlawfully take, carry away, or conceal a 
catalytic converter from the motor vehicle of another per-
son, or knowingly purchase such catalytic converter with 
the intent to distribute, sell, or dispose of the catalytic 
converter or any precious metal removed therefrom in 
interstate or foreign commerce. 
‘‘(c) PENALTY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any person who violates 
subsection (b) shall be fined under this title, impris-
oned not more than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(2) CONCURRENT SENTENCES.—Any term of 
imprisonment imposed on a person under paragraph 
(1) shall run concurrently with any other term of 
imprisonment imposed on a person at the same time 
for an offense arising out of the same conduct.’’; and 
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(2) in the table of sections for such chapter, by 
adding at the end of the following: 
‘‘671. Theft of catalytic converters.’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2311 of title 18, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after ‘‘for running 
on land but not on rails;’’ the following: 
‘‘ ‘Precious metals’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 109–27.5101 of title 41, Code of Federal Regu-
lations, or any successor regulation;’’.’’. 
(c) TRAFFICKING IN CAR PARTS CONTAINING PRE-
CIOUS METALS.—Section 2321 of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) TRAFFICKING IN MOTOR VEHICLE PARTS CON-
TAINING PRECIOUS METALS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER.— 
In this subsection, the term ‘catalytic converter’ 
means any of the following: 
‘‘(A) Any device installed in the exhaust 
system of an internal combustion engine that 
utilizes catalytic action to oxidize hydrocarbon 
(HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions to 
carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). 
‘‘(B) A diesel oxidation catalyst. 
‘‘(C) A diesel particulate filter. 
‘‘(2) OFFENSE.—It shall be unlawful to buy, re-
ceive, possess, or obtain control of, with intent to sell 
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or otherwise dispose of, a catalytic converter, know-
ing that the catalytic converter has been stolen. 
‘‘(3) PENALTY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), any person who violates paragraph 
(2) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned 
not more than 5 years, or both. 
‘‘(B) 
CONCURRENT
SENTENCES.—Any 
term of imprisonment imposed on a person 
under subparagraph (A) shall run concurrently 
with any other term of imprisonment imposed 
on the person at the same time for an offense 
arising out of the same conduct.’’. 
(d) CHOP SHOPS.—Section 2322(b) of title 18, 
United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘chop shop’ means any building, lot, facility, or other 
structure or premise where one or more persons engage 
in receiving, concealing, destroying, disassembling, dis-
mantling, reassembling, or storing any motor vehicle or 
motor vehicle part that has been unlawfully obtained in 
order to alter, counterfeit, deface, destroy, disguise, fal-
sify, forge, obliterate, extract any precious metal there-
from, or remove the identify, including the vehicle identi-
fication number or derivative thereof, or other identifica-
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tion marking, of the vehicle or vehicle part and to dis-
tribute, sell, or dispose of the vehicle or vehicle part, or 
precious metal extracted from the vehicle or vehicle part, 
in interstate or foreign commerce.’’. 
Æ 
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