The Iowa portion of a 30-city pro-life bus tour stopped in Sioux City this morning. Former Colorado Congresswoman, Marilyn Musgrave, leads the tour which is targeting President Obama and pro-abortion candidates. Musgrave says their message is “abortion is not healthcare.”

“I tell you what, the majority of women in this country are pro-life. The majority of Americans are pro-life, but the policies that we see coming out of Washington, D.C. do not reflect those pro-life values,” Musgrave said. Pro-life nurse and whistleblower, Jill Stanek, is also on the tour.

Stanek helped get the Illinois “Born Alive” Infant Protection Act passed, which prevents unwanted early-term babies from being left unattended to die. Stanek said President Obama fought against the bill from 2001 through 2003 when he was an Illinois state senator.

“And he argued with me in committee and on the senate floor, against this bill, saying that giving premature born babies we’re talking about, not preborn babies, the same legal rights as full term babies he said would somehow lead to the overturn of Roe V. Wade. And he voted against the born alive act four times altogether,” according to Stanek.

Jennifer Bowen is the head of Iowa Right to Life. Bowen criticized Democrat congressional candidate Christie Vilsack for her support of Planned Parenthood.

“Because Christie Vilsack for years and years, in lockstep with Planned Parenthood — now Planned Parenthood of the Heartland — in lockstep has had a plan for those unitended and inconvenient pregnancies. And that is not to give them life. That is not to give them the opportunity to live and to breathe and to dream,” Bowen said.

Former Planned Parenthood employee, Sue Thayer of Storm Lake, spoke out against the use of remote assisted abortions.

 “A doctor would be in a remote location, see a patient via a webcam, push a button at her computer that opens a drawer in this small rural center and this woman can take set of pills that kills the baby,” Theyer said. “Twenty-four hours later at home she takes the next set of pills that starts the contractions. She never sees a doctor.”

Around 100 people turned out for the event. There are also stops planned in Des Moines and Mason City.

By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City

The press secretary for President Obama’s Iowa campaign responded to the bus tour with a statement saying they are releasing a new TV ad in Iowa and other states “that highlights President Obama’s commitment to issues important to women and their families.”

Liz Purchia says the new ad “draws the stark contrast between President Obama and the Romney-Ryan ticket’s record on women’s health. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have taken extreme positions on issues that matter to women and their families. From promising to “get rid of” Planned Parenthood to backing proposals that would take away a woman’s right to choose, women recognize they cannot trust the Romney-Ryan ticket to stand up for them.”

She says, “President Obama is committed to protecting women’s health because he knows that women are capable of making their own choices when it comes to their health care. The President has repeatedly fought back against Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, and believes that women – not politicians or the government – should be in control of their own health decisions. President Obama knows that access to quality, affordable health care means a stronger American middle class.”