Lawmaker remembered for being a friend to truckers

A fourth-generation farmer, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., was remembered as someone who appreciated hard work and the truck driving profession.

LaMalfa, who began his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013 and joined the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in 2017, died unexpectedly on Jan. 7. He was 65 years old.

“Rep. LaMalfa understood truckers and valued their work,” said Collin Long, OOIDA’s director of government affairs. “He used his seat in Congress to help make their lives safer and careers more successful. His loss is particularly painful because he truly was a friend to OOIDA and our members. That’s not hyperbole. He was a sincere and dependable friend to truckers, and we’re really going to miss him.”

During his time on the T&I Committee, LaMalfa made repeated attempts to eliminate the federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks and trailers.

He advocated for hours-of-service flexibility, truck parking funding and a bill that would prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from mandating speed limiters on heavy trucks. LaMalfa also fought against attempts to increase truckers’ minimum liability insurance.

This past December, LaMalfa joined Reps. David Taylor, Shomari Figures, Harriet Hageman, Pat Harrigan and Mary Miller to form Congress’ first Trucking Caucus.

“I’m pleased to join the Congressional Trucking Caucus and focus on the difficult real-world issues truckers deal with constantly,” LaMalfa said in December. “In rural areas especially, trucking isn’t optional. It’s how goods get to shelves, raw materials get to farms and farms get their products to market. If you got it, a truck brought it. I look forward to working with my colleagues to make sure truckers can keep moving.” LL