Concerned Women for America (CWA) was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Congressman LaMalfa was a champion in Congress for life, families, religious freedom, and more, and was among the very first leaders to combat gender ideology in Congress. His life was one of service, not only to our country, but the Kingdom of God.
LaMalfa was a native of Northern California and a fourth-generation rice farmer. He learned the values of hard work in his youth and built a life foundation centered on family, community, and faith. These values drove him to run for the California State Assembly, then to the big stage of Congress in 2012.
During his time in Congress, LaMalfa used his personal experience and insight to lead the Congressional Western Caucus. This is the second-largest membership organization in Congress, and he was unanimously elected chairman.
But Congressman LaMalfa’s service expanded well beyond western-specific issues. He was a bold and eager fighter for constitutional principles and Biblical values. He was among the highest-scoring members of Congress on Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee’s (CWALAC) annual scorecard because of his consistent votes for legislation that protects the unborn, promotes families, limits government, prioritizes parental rights, and more.
One of the Congressman’s standout contributions to our country was his immovable defense against gender ideology. When CWALAC began lobbying Congress for stronger sex-based protections for women and children, few members took our concerns seriously. No one believed the “gender” movement sweeping the nation would actually lead to the mutilation of children and the replacement of women. It seemed too confusing to comprehend, but Congressman LaMalfa was the bold tip of the spear America needed.
In the 117th Congress, he introduced first-of-its-kind legislation, the Protecting Children from Experimentation Act that would prohibit doctors from performing sex-rejecting procedures on minors. He also introduced the End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act, which would prohibit federal funding towards such surgeries.
CWALAC’s Senior Advisor, Doreen Denny, worked extensively with his office to craft the legislation and recounts the energy LaMalfa showed for the issue. “He was the first to really get it,” she said.
In his press release announcing the bill’s introduction, Denny is quoted, “Unfortunately, the Big Gender market is more interested in profit than ethical practice. CWALAC applauds Rep LaMalfa’s proposals standing against the medical mutilation of minors in the name of ‘gender confirmation,’ and the use of federal tax dollars to finance radical gender reassignment interventions.”
This introduction was the start of something big. Congressman LaMalfa’s courage and foresight emboldened his colleagues to push into the issue, exposing decades of horror under the guise of gender progressivism.
This flash point was not created by a political opportunist, but a man of faith. Congressman LaMalfa saw an opportunity to stand for truth and to defend the vulnerable, despite its unpopularity. He stood as the tip of the spear, and we have a responsibility to carry on his legacy. We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, live by his same spirit of boldness granted by our faith in Jesus Christ.
CWALAC is proud to continue to build the momentum that Congressman LaMalfa helped spark in Congress, and we will not stop fighting until every American is protected from the deceptive, predatory practices of the gender mutilating business. As we reflect on the life and legacy of Congressman LaMalfa, may we not just see a life marked by political achievement, but true faithfulness and service to God and country.
