The former Majority Leader of the US House of Representatives was one of the bigger names at an Iowa House public hearing on abortion Tuesday night.
Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay spoke on behalf of a bill that would ban abortions if the doctor could detect a fetal heartbeat with a required ultrasound of the woman. DeLay says he's travelling the country trying to get legislatures to support fetal heartbeat legislation.
Other speakers didn't feel the same. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland CEO Suzanna de Bara said that if lawmakers pass the bill "Iowa will be dragged back into the era of back door abortions."
The hearing included emotional testimony from women who had abortions. One, Jasmine Overlin, told the committee she regretted it, saying "I hurt a life...I took a life." Others, like Lea Vandenbosch, said that having an abortion "saved a life"-hers.
The full Iowa House is expected to debate and pass the bill soon, sending it back to the Iowa Senate.