The U.S. Senate voted 61-36 on Tuesday, Nov. 29, to pass an amended version of HR8404, the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act.”

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley voted against the measure, while Sen. Joni Ernst voted in favor.

“[I am] disappointed in Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst for joining in U.S. Senate passing the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act,” commented Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The FAMiLY Leader, following the vote. “Unraveling marriage and defying God’s design has unraveled gender, launched trans hysteria, harmed children, and eroded religious liberty. This is a disaster for America.”

The FAMiLY Leader lost a dear member of our extended family in 2021. Lucas Vander Plaats, third son of Bob and Darla Vander Plaats, met his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, cheek to cheek and face to face, where every tear and disability were wiped away, on November 22, 2021. He was 28 years old.

Lucas was born with a very rare brain disorder, Partial Pachygyria Lissencephaly, resulting in life-long physical and mental disabilities requiring 24-hour care. Yet Lucas’ life displayed the glory and mighty works of God …

The ballroom of the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines was packed on July 15, 2022, for the 11th annual FAMiLY Leadership Summit featuring keynote speakers Dr. Tony Evans and FOX TV’s Tucker Carlson.

An estimated crowd of over 1,800 people were on hand for an event billed as “The Midwest’s largest gathering of Christians seeking cultural transformation in the family, Church, government, and more.”

Bob and Donna Red Wing were often quoted in the news media on opposite sides of contentious issues. Bob leads a Christian organization that advocates for public policy consistent with biblical values. Donna was a longtime LGBTQ activist and, in her own words, “a sometimes agitator.” They were natural “enemies” who became the most unlikely of friends.