On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, SBA Pro-Life America held our gala at the historic Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. The Gala brought together pro-life leaders, elected officials, and supporters from across the country for a night that honored recent victories and looked ahead to the work still to come.

Even Planned Parenthood couldn’t ignore the night — In a bit of irony, our Gala was featured in a POLITICO email that was sponsored by Planned Parenthood. We couldn’t help but share the moment on social media.

The evening began with a pre-Gala reception where attendees heard from several prominent pro-life lawmakers, including Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri followed. Introduced by Marjorie Dannenfelser as a pro-life hero, Hawley thanked those gathered for standing boldly for life, and spoke to the importance of meeting the moment: “There is no more important time in our country’s history to stand for life than right now… we still have tremendous work to do.”

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina concluded the reception with a message of determination and optimism: “When it comes to the rights of the unborn child, I believe the best days lie ahead.”

As the formal program began and all the attendees took their seats, Marjorie, along with her daughter Terry, welcomed guests to the evening portion of the Gala. Terry then introduced the Friends of Club 21 Choir — a choir made up of individuals with Down syndrome— who delivered a heartfelt performance. Their rendition of the National Anthem, followed by the song “Extraordinary Magic,” reminded everyone in the room of the value and dignity of every human life.

The next speaker to take the stage was Glenn Story, founder and CEO of Patriot Mobile — a Christian conservative wireless provider. He shared how his organization shares SBA’s values and thanked the group for their unmatched grassroots work. “Susan B. Anthony is the tip of the spear when it comes to activism in pro-life,” he said, offering his full support for our mission.

Senator Steve Daines of Montana then delivered a toast. Daines, who founded the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, reflected on how SBA’s voter contact program helped him win his seat in 2014, part of a historic GOP Senate flip that laid the groundwork for the eventual overturn of Roe v. Wade. “It’s about playing the long game,” he said. “It’s about perseverance.”

Senator Jon Husted (recently appointed to Vice President JD Vance’s former Ohio Senate seat) took the stage next. Husted shared his deeply personal story about how he was born into foster care and adopted by a loving family after his birth mother faced pressure to have an abortion. “She faced a very difficult choice, and she chose to have an adoption,” he said. Reflecting on the life he was given through adoption, he added, “The greatest thing that could have ever happened to me was being adopted by the two people who became my mom and dad.” He closed with a heartfelt toast to the mothers who choose life and the families who welcome children through adoption “who have saved children and given life to this nation.”

Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio followed, offering a candid look at how SBA stood by him during his recent campaign. “The one group that did support me from the very beginning was SBA,” he said. Going up against a 50-year incumbent, Moreno credited SBA’s field efforts with helping him defy the odds. “They try to brand us as radicals and that we are trying to take rights away. We’re putting rights in the hands of who God ordained as having the most ultimate rights, which is the unborn.”

Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana echoed that theme. Running against a well-funded opponent with strong name recognition and media backing, Sheehy said he knew he couldn’t compete on airwaves — so he turned to the ground game. “SBA was there from the very beginning knocking over 100,000 doors in our state, reaching 600,000 voters,” he shared. “Trust me when I say that this organization makes a huge difference on the ground and makes a huge difference at the ballot box.”

Later in the evening, Marjorie addressed the room. She spoke plainly about the opportunities and challenges facing the pro-life movement after Dobbs, especially the growing threat of abortion pills and misinformation. She called for courage and unity in this new phase, rooted in the belief that every child and every mother deserves better than abortion.

Marjorie then introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. His speech was personal, principled, and clear: “There’s never been a more important moment to stand for this cause.” He praised SBA Pro-Life America as “one of the most effective grassroots organizations in the country” and shared his own story of being born as the result of an unplanned pregnancy. Johnson framed the fight for life as part of a broader moral struggle, urging the movement to meet it with both strength and compassion. “We must speak the truth in love,” he said, calling on the audience to continue defending America’s founding creed — that all are created equal and endowed with the right to life.

Marjorie returned to close out the evening with gratitude for those in attendance and a look ahead at what still needs to be done. It was a night that celebrated what the movement has already achieved and looked ahead to the work that still needs to be done.

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