the bus tour began on june 18, 2012 in iowa and ended on july 2 in washington d.c. it covered 2700 miles and nine states. the tour planned to stop at homeless shelters, food pantries, schools and health care facilities run by nuns to highlight their work with the nation's poor and disenfranchised" and "to protest cuts in programs for the poor and working families in the federal budget that was passed by the house of representatives and proposed by representative paul d. ryan, a wisconsin republican who cited his catholic faith to justify the cuts".