Latest Pro-Life News

Hundreds of Christians gathered in Des Moines on July 11 for the annual FAMiLY Leadership Summit where life was the central topic and SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser was a featured speaker. The event known for its impact on conservative politics in the state and the Iowa caucus was a celebratory occasion with the recent defunding of big abortion and a discussion on the work ahead to save lives.

Keep scrolling for the highlights.

The event kicked off with worship led by ELIM ARRIVAL. The band is based out of North Liberty, Iowa, and travels to different cities to rally people around 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Chuck Hurley, vice president of the FAMiLY Leader celebrated the national pro-life victory on defunding through the One Big Beautiful Bill and gave a state policy update. Hurley listed the group’s top achievements over the last nine years, highlighting the heartbeat bills that passed and the Baby Olivia bill requiring public schools to show a video on fetal development which just became law.

As the cornerstone sponsor of the event, SBA Pro-Life America hosted a booth right outside the doors of the auditorium. Field team leaders had the opportunity to talk with attendees about defunding abortion businesses, protecting unborn children nationally, and joining SBA’s canvassing efforts.

In a speech and a panel discussion with Bob Vander Plaats (president of FAMiLY Leader), Marjorie emphasized the work ahead for the pro-life movement. Abortions are up, not down, since the Dobbs decision, she said as she pointed to the need for a national abortion limit. She stated Iowans can play a central role in making this reality by supporting a Republican presidential nominee who is an advocate for saving babies in the womb under the 14th Amendment.

Watch or read the speech here.

Life was a key theme of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ speech. She said, “As governor, there’s been no great responsibility and none more rewarding than the task of instilling a culture of life in our state. And there’s no effort that I’ve led that I’m prouder of than what we’ve been able to accomplish together.” Those accomplishments include the 2018 heartbeat law, patience as that law was challenged in court, and prevailing in a special session with a second heartbeat law that is now in effect.

Reynolds celebrated four of Iowa’s six Planned Parenthoods in the process of closing, saying “more may be on the way” if judges don’t stand in the way of the defunding provision in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

In his speech, Bob Vander Plaats emphasized that the FAMiLY Leader and those attending the event were “all in” to end abortion in the U.S.

The evening before the event, he and Marjorie spoke to a smaller crowd of evangelical leaders to share how SBA Pro-Life America and FAMiLY Leader are beginning a partnership.

“FAMiLY Leader and SBA have really made a commitment for the next four years. We are going to be in intentional partnership together because we believe it’s important for everyone to see that the premier national pro-life ally is teaming up with what we believe is at least a significant state ally in the FAMiLY Leader and that will send a message to candidates all over the place,” Vander Plaats said.

In her address to the summit, Sarah Huckabee Sanders recounted a story of visiting a Holocaust museum with her dad when she was little. In the guest book before she left, she recalled writing, “Why didn’t somebody do something?” and challenged the audience to not let this be the question that the next generation asks about our country.

The governor also had kind words to say about SBA:

“I also want to say thank you to Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America – they do such an amazing job across the country – not for their help with this summit is not what I want to thank them for although we’re appreciative of that. I want to thank them for the work that they do each and every day fighting for life – something that has become more and more important and something that has gotten harder and harder. And they have never blinked once in standing up for what is right and fighting for the unborn.”