Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) died early Tuesday at age 65 after a medical emergency Monday night caused him to go into emergency surgery, Butte County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The sheriff’s office said LaMalfa died during the medical procedure, but the office is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of death.
“We are mourning the loss of our friend and brother today and we send our respects for his life and work to his wife Jill and the LaMalfa family during this difficult time,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement.
LaMalfa had spoken out in the past in favor of licensing new nuclear reactors, and has said nuclear power is “one of the best choices for renewable energy we have.” He voted on measures in 2015 to give Congress the opportunity to vote on a final deal regarding Iran’s nuclear weapons program.
As chairman of the Western Caucus, a congressional organization advocating for Western U.S. rural policy issues, LaMalfa was in favor of the most recent House energy and water appropriations bill draft passed on the House floor. “By prioritizing our nation’s nuclear and geothermal industries, we are promoting the delivery of cheaper, and more reliable power to every household and business,” he said.
LaMalfa was one of a dozen House lawmakers to visit the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada in mid-2018 in hopes of reviving the cancelled waste repository.
LaMalfa’s death shrinks the already thin Republican majority in the House, with the advantage now at 218-213 with four vacancies. This means Johnson can only afford two deflections on party-line votes if all members are present.
One of the other vacancies on the GOP side belongs to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.), who resigned in November due to a political split with President Donald Trump. A special election will take place in Georgia next week to decide who will replace Greene and fill one of the vacancies.