• The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has called on the House of Representatives to include the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) in the final Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as Congress returns following the midterm elections.
• The House passed CORCA by 348 votes to 60 in May, and the AfA is calling on lawmakers from both parties to use the NDAA to deliver a coordinated federal response to organized cargo theft and freight fraud.
• “Congress has already shown overwhelming bipartisan support for tackling organized cargo crime, and the job now is to turn that support into law,” said Steve Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Airforwarders Association.

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has called on the House of Representatives to include the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) in the final Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) as Congress returns following the midterm elections. The NDAA is passed annually to set defense and spending priorities and is frequently used to advance other measures with bipartisan support.

The House passed CORCA by 348 votes to 60 in May, and the AfA is calling on lawmakers from both parties to use the NDAA to deliver a coordinated federal response to organized cargo theft and freight fraud.

“Congress has already shown overwhelming bipartisan support for tackling organized cargo crime, and the job now is to turn that support into law,” said Steve Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Airforwarders Association.

“Forwarders are dealing with organized criminal networks that operate across state lines and exploit gaps between jurisdictions, so this is an issue where Republicans and Democrats should continue working together to give law enforcement and legitimate businesses the tools to route them out.”

CORCA would establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within Homeland Security Investigations to strengthen information sharing and coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement and the private sector.

AfA members have had opportunities to engage with wider stakeholders and politicians firsthand how cargo theft, fraudulent pickups, carrier impersonation, and identity fraud affect their businesses.

The AfA’s Cargo Theft Committee also brings members together to share intelligence, examine vulnerabilities, and help shape practical responses to cargo crime.

“Forwarders are seeing how sophisticated these crimes have become and how difficult they can be to investigate when activity crosses jurisdictions,” said David King of AB&M Logistics, and Chair of the AfA’s Cargo Theft Committee.

“The industry can help by sharing what is happening on the ground, but we also need law enforcement agencies to be able to act on it. CORCA is an opportunity to improve that coordination and give legitimate businesses a stronger federal partner in tackling organized cargo crime.”

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