Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC)

CWALAC also developed a “Presidential Promise to American Women” as a statement of principle and policy for presidential candidates to sign. ³

Penny Nance is the CEO and president of CWALAC as well as CWA. ⁴

Background

The Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) is the lobbying arm of the right-of-center Concerned Women for America (CWA) charitable advocacy group. Beverly LaHaye founded Concerned Women for America as a conservative counterweight to the National Organization of Women. ⁵

The organization compiles a scorecard rating members of Congress based on votes related to the CWA’s listed core issues on its website. ² The basis for the score is how lawmakers vote on legislation related to the CWA’s seven issues, which are: “defending the family,” supporting the sanctity of human life, protecting religious liberty, education reform, fighting sexual exploitation, promoting national sovereignty, and support for Israel. ⁶

CWALAC developed a “Presidential Promise to American Women” as a statement of principle and policy for presidential candidates to sign in order to stand up for the dignity of every woman, and includes what it says is the “millennia-old, undeniable definition of ‘woman.’” The pledge emerged after the proposed “Equality Act” would have codified “gender identity” as a protected civil right. ³

CWALAC called President Donald Trump’s election victory in November 2024 a victory for women. CWALAC President Penny Nance noted that, “President Donald Trump was the only candidate to sign Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee’s Presidential Promise to American Women, promising to ‘uphold the truth that women are exclusively female.’ Vice President Harris ignored the plea of women who want a leader who would stand for women’s sports and women’s dignity.” ⁷

CWALAC also developed a Promise to American Women pledge that can be signed by down-ballot candidates to recognize the longstanding definition of women and to protect women’s sports. ⁸

Leadership

Penny Nance is the president of Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC). Nance is also the CEO and president of Concerned Women for America (CWA). Nance was previously president of Nance and Associates. ⁴ She was a special advisor for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she focused on media and social issues concerning children. ⁴ “Concerned Women for America.” FactCheck.org. October 27, 2011. Accessed January 18, 2025. https://www.factcheck.org/2011/10/concerned-women-for-america/[/note] She was previously the founder and president of the Kids First Coalition. She is a graduate of Liberty University and is a member of the board of trustees for the university. ⁴

Denise Cappuccio is the chief financial officer of the CWALAC. ¹ Cappuccio is listed as the treasurer of the CWALAC political action committee. ⁹

Linda Murphy is the chair of the board of trustees for CWALAC. ¹ Jeanne Reigsecker is the vice chair of the board for the group. ¹ Charlotte Johnson is the secretary of the board for the legislative arm. ¹

Advocacy

According to its website, Concerned Women for America (CWA) claims to focus on seven issues: the family, the sanctity of human life, religious liberty, education, sexual exploitation, national sovereignty, and support for Israel. ⁶

In 2011, the Concerned Women for America-Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) launched a $1.15 million ad buy regarding the debt ceiling. The ad was a satirical pitch for “Spenditol,” as a pharmaceutical “cure” for high prices and unemployment. ¹⁰

In June 2023, CWALAC President Penny Nance met with then-former President Donald Trump in Bedminster, New Jersey, during his presidential campaign. The two talked about the importance of protecting women’s sports in light of Biden administration proposals to compel states to permit the participation of natal males identifying as transgender in women’s sports. ¹¹

In September 2023, the organization voiced its support for the Ending Chemical Abortions Act of 2023, arguing that chemical abortions caused more complications than surgical abortions. ¹²

In June 2024, CWALAC strongly opposed a provision in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act that would have required young women to register with the Selective Service for a potential military draft. ¹³

In August 2024, the CWALAC praised the Supreme Court for blocking a Biden administration proposed rule to replace biological sex with gender identity in certain regulations. ¹⁴

CWALAC has supported the Protect Women and Girls in Sports Act in Congress. It also has called on Congress to block the Biden administration’s Title IX rule to rewrite the definition of sex under federal rules to accommodate gender identity. ¹⁵

In 2024, the organization also supported the App Store Accountability Act, to hold technology firms accountable for the ability of children to access explicit material and adult content on social media platforms. ¹⁵

Political Action Committee

The Concerned Women for American Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) has a political action committee (PAC). The PAC does not appear to have been active at raising and spending money for political campaigns since 2018, based on information from OpenSecrets, which tracks political campaign spending. ⁹

In 2018, the PAC spent $4,298 to support the election of Republican House candidates, including $1,798 for Kathaleen Wall of Texas; $1,500 for then-Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO); and $1,000 for then-Rep. Karen Handel (R-GA). ⁹