In this episode of Washington Watch, we dive into the pressing health care issues facing the nation, as political leaders grapple with rising insurance premiums and the ongoing debate over Obamacare. Join host Jody Heiss as he discusses the Republican propositions being tabled in Congress with Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper and Congressman Morgan Griffith, who shares his insights on potential legislative moves aimed at reducing health care costs. Also discussed is the redistricting battle in Indiana and its potential impact on the GOP’s hold in Congress.
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from the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and sound bites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Sitting in for Tony is today’s host, Jody Heiss.
SPEAKER 04 :
really believe we can work on healthcare together and come up with something that’s going to be much better, much less expensive for the people, less expensive for our nation, but really, most importantly, better and less expensive for the people. And we have an idea that, rather than making these massive payments where they — you know, their stocks went up 1,700 percent over a short period of time — the insurance companies — we make
SPEAKER 07 :
beautiful big payments directly to the people and they buy their own health insurance well that was president trump talking about health care just as house republicans gear up to address that issue next week welcome to this december 12th edition of washington watch i’m your friday host jody heiss thank you so much for joining us all right coming up After the Senate failed to pass a health care plan, the House is now expected to take action next week to keep costs down for families. San Virginia Congressman Morgan Griffith will be joining me momentarily with more details on that issue. And Dr. David Claussen, director of the Center for Biblical Worldview here at FRC, will be joining me later for our weekly Biblical Worldview segment. Okay, Republican leaders in Congress are feeling a lot of pressure tonight as serious concerns are growing about big health insurance premium hikes next year. Prices many in the party say have spiraled because of the Obamacare. Well, a few GOP senators are breaking with leadership there in the Senate saying families simply cannot afford to take another hit. And then over in the House, there are some anxious Republicans who are pushing their own proposals as that chamber is now expected to take up the health care issue next week. Well, joining me now with a broader perspective of all of this is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been following today’s stories. Casey, let’s start with this one. What are Republicans pushing for with health care? And I guess a bigger question for me is, is there any realistic fix that’s on the table right now?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, thanks, Jody. That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? But the concern for Republicans, to your question, is straightforward. Families are staring down higher bills once again, and many in the party say that the current system is part of the problem. Now a handful of GOP senators voted to advance a temporary subsidy extension, not because they support Obamacare, but because they don’t want to get people to get blindsided in January. Now here’s what President Trump said after the Senate rejected the dueling health care bills yesterday.
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And I really believe we can work on health care together and come up with something that’s going to be much better, much less expensive for the people, less expensive for our nation, but really most importantly, better and less expensive for the people.
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Now in the House, several Republicans from competitive districts have signed petitions aimed at forcing a vote to keep some form of help in place. House leaders who have been hesitant are now expected to bring the issue forward next week as pressure grows to take action. For now, Republicans are trying to balance short-term relief with tackling what they see as the real drivers of rising costs, Jody.
SPEAKER 07 :
A huge, huge issue. And it’s going to be very interesting to see how that begins to unfold further next week. And Casey, another issue I think that’s kind of to some extent getting lost in all the dust of the health care issue is the redistricting battle. That has been a major issue on the front line of the news for quite some time. And we all saw what happened in Indiana the other day. Is there any risk Casey of Indiana Republicans may be losing ground now in next year’s midterms, you think?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, Jody. I mean, in Indiana, the Republican-led Senate rejected a new congressional map that would have strengthened GOP control in next year’s House elections. So that vote was 31 to 19, with 21 Republicans notably joining all 10 Democrats against the plan, which was really dealt a rare rebuke to President Trump. Here’s what House Speaker Mike Johnson said about that vote.
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As I’ve said all along, whatever the maps are that are presented by every state, I have to win those, and we will. So I guess that’s a disappointing outcome in Indiana. But there’s about 14 states at some stage of the process now, either litigation or redistricting. So we shall see.
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Now that failed map, passed last week by the State House, could have given Republicans all nine U.S. House seats and would have split Indianapolis. President Trump expressed disappointment, saying he could have added two Republican seats, but he did kind of downplay his role in the fight. Now this vote is part of a nationwide fight, as you know, Jody, over redistricting, as both parties maneuver for control of Congress ahead of next year’s midterms.
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Well, before I let you go, Casey, also there’s big news internationally. We all saw the U.S. military grab, if you will, a Venezuelan oil tanker this week, which has really turned up pressure on that country’s government. Do we know the latest? What’s happening now with this whole drug war situation?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, Jody. So that tanker you mentioned was seized by the U.S., is reportedly headed to Houston now, and it’s carrying nearly 1.85 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy crude. Now, the ship is actually too large to dock, so its cargo will be offloaded to smaller vessels. And U.S. officials say the seizure is fully legal and part of ongoing sanctions in the war on drugs aimed at cutting off revenue to President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, which has long been at odds with President Trump. Naturally, Venezuela calls it theft. But Washington warns more tankers could be targeted as it continues efforts to pressure Maduro and do what they say is supporting freedom in the region, Jody.
SPEAKER 07 :
Wow, so much going on. Casey, as always, thank you so much for keeping us abreast on the highlights of what’s going on. We appreciate it. All right, I want to go back now to the original issue we talked about, the battle over health care. And I’d like to get a perspective currently from a member of Congress. And joining me now is Congressman Morgan Griffith. He’s a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he chairs the Health Subcommittee. He’s also vice chairman of the All Important Rules Committee, and he represents the 9th Congressional District of Virginia Committee. Congressman Griffith, as always, welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to see you.
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s good to see you, as always.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right. Let’s start with this whole health care issue. Speaker Johnson, as I understand it, is planning to put a Republican health care bill on the floor next week. What can you tell us about that?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we will have a bill next week. I haven’t had time to read it, but I know all the component parts pretty well. But they have released it now. It’s 111 pages. And we’re going to do some good things. We’re going to allow associated health plans, as I understand it. We’re going to have some other items in there. What we’re trying to do is lower costs. Now, this is not the only bill. We’re not doing one package that’s going to solve all the problems. What we hope to do is between now and Memorial Day is to unveil a number of bills that will try to lower costs for the American consumer. People are worried about the prices going up. And here’s the bottom line. Because of the way Obamacare was built, prices are going to go up next year no matter what we do. That said, we want to try to make choices available to the American families so they can bring down costs over time, they can make their choices, and we believe we have some plans that will help lower costs. Now, this is an important line that everybody needs to know. If you love your Obamacare, you can keep your Obamacare. We’re not taking it away. This is not a repeal and replace. It is offering choices. We’re going to offer some choices. We’re going to get some passed next week. Then hopefully we can get some more in January, and I’m hopeful that we’ll have at least a couple more shots at it before Memorial Day so the American people can see that there are legitimate programs out there that the Republicans are pushing and that we’re advocating in the House that will lower their health care insurance costs over time and in the near future.
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What are some specific things that you are hoping might be in the bill next week and forthcoming bills beyond that? And what are some things that you certainly hope will not be in some of those bills? Anything in particular?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I mean, I think if they’re Republican ideas, I’ve seen dozens. I mean, one of the problems, and you may recall that we had even last time we tried to deal with these things, is we have so many people who are thinking about so many different ideas. We have more ideas out there than we maybe can fit into one package, which is why I’m hoping we’ll see several packages. But I will tell you that there are a number of things that we can do. We’re going to do more on… PBMs, pharmacy benefit manager reform. We need to have some transparency. John James is pushing that really hard, and he’s right on the basic issues. We need to give the American folks more choice in the way that they are able to choose their health insurance to fit their family’s needs. One of the things that I think will help are physician owned hospitals. I know that all the hospital groups and chains are opposed to that, but historically that was a way a lot of times that rural areas got a hospital in the first place. So, you know, I think that would be very helpful to rural areas like mine. It doesn’t mean that every hospital is going to be position owned, but it means that if there’s a hospital that’s maybe in a little bit of trouble, the doctors in that hospital may want to take it over because they may be able to see ways to make it more efficient and they want to stay in the community they live in. So I think that’s a help as well. But health savings accounts, you’re going to see some of that, I think, next week. But trying to make them more flexible and more able to meet the needs of more Americans, I think that’s important. But associated health plans, that doesn’t solve every problem. But I was talking with some folks in a coin store on my way home. And, you know, they’re having trouble acquiring insurance because it’s a three-man shop. Well, if they can band together with all the other coin dealers in Virginia and have the Virginia Coin Dealer Health Network or health plan, they can get a better rate for health insurance than them going out individually trying to do it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Interesting. So real quickly, our time’s running out, but you said if people like Obamacare, they’ll be able to keep it. What about the extensions of Obamacare? I understand some Republicans are trying to put forth an amendment to add the subsidies to Obamacare to keep it kind of going. What do you think of that effort?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I mean, look, I’m sympathetic. I do think that if you’re able to get the language worked out, and there’s a big fly in the ointment there, a big one, but if you can get the language worked out, you put a cap on it of about 700% of the poverty line, that takes care of the people who really have some economic stress. And look, the American families didn’t pay attention to the fact that the Democrats created this COVID pandemic premium enhanced tax credit. It’s not your regular Obamacare. It was the enhanced credits as a result of the COVID crisis. They created it. They didn’t have the votes to have it go permanent. They didn’t make it permanent. Now we have a cliff. American families don’t understand. They just know that their rates are going to go up. And so there is an issue there. The problem is is that many folks, because there are 12 states that have abortion included in their Obamacare exchange, state exchange plans, The federal money going to those programs. A number of pro-life groups oppose them, and so you have people that are that are adamantly opposed because there’s no Hyde Amendment protection on those premium enhanced tax credit monies, and that’s a legitimate concern. And yet some of our moderates don’t want that reform put in there either, so we don’t have enough votes to pass it with with Hyde. We’ll find out next week if we have enough votes to pass it without Hyde. On the House side, but we already know it’s not going to pass the Senate.
SPEAKER 07 :
Morgan Griffith, thank you so much for joining us. I know it’s not just a health care affordability is energy costs. There’s a lot that is at stake and a lot that Republicans are trying to address. But thank you for coming on the program tonight and giving us this update. We appreciate it.
SPEAKER 08 :
Always good to be with you.
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All right. As Congress continues to debate this, I want to encourage you to sign our petition urging Congress and GOP leaders to have no more taxpayer funding of abortion. You can sign on to a very important letter, petition ACA to 67742.
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Hello, I’m Tony Perkins, and I want to invite you to join me for Stand on the Word, a daily journey through the Bible, 10 to 15 minutes a day. That’s all it takes. And in no time, you’ll have finished the entire Bible. And along the way, we’ll learn how to apply God’s truths to the world in which we live. As we’re about to start a new year and as our nation is about to celebrate 250 years, there’s never been a better time for a fresh start in the Word of God. To join us, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742.
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Should a Christian support Israel? That question has become one of the most emotionally charged issues of our time, both in the world and within the church. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins offers a clear biblical and prophetic answer. In his latest book, He examines Israel’s past, present, and future through the lens of Scripture, revealing why support for Israel is not rooted in politics, partisanship, or cultural sentiment, but in the unchanging promises of God. Drawing from Genesis to Revelation, Tony Perkins demonstrates that the ultimate rationale for a Christian’s support for Israel is spiritual. Should a Christian Support Israel invites believers to see beyond headlines and ideologies, returning to the foundation of God’s Word to understand His heart for His chosen people and the blessings that flow when we stand with what He has established forever. Text the word Israel to 67742 for more information.
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What is God’s role in government? What does the separation of church and state really mean? And how does morality shape a nation? President John Adams said our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Join Family Research Council for God and Government, a powerful series that explores the connection between biblical principles and the American government, equipping you with truth to engage in today’s most pressing debates. We’ll uncover the foundations of our nation’s history and why it’s relevant for today. Join us to defend God’s plan for government because faith and freedom were never meant to be separate. You can view the course at prayvotestand.org slash godandgovernment or on the Stand Firm app.
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Are you looking for a meaningful gift to share this Christmas? Family Research Council has you covered. Check out the Stand on the Word official store for gear and gifts that are thoughtfully designed to help you wear, share, and stand boldly on scripture. Check out our Christmas bundle for a $25 discount. Visit frc.org slash Bible store or text store to 67742. That’s store to 67742.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. I’m Jody Heiss, your Friday host. Glad to have you on board with us. All right, we got cut off in the last segment. I want to make sure that you heard what I was trying to say. I’m not sure that all of you were able to get it. But as all this health care debate is taking place, it’s important that we stand for some very critical issues in all of that. And we here at FRC have a petition for that. sending a message to Congress and the GOP leaders saying that is all this health care debate is taking place. Make sure. that no more tax dollars are going to be going to fund abortion or so-called gender transition procedures, period. We just need to guard those things. And so we want to urge you to sign the petition. You can do so simply by texting the letters ACA, ACA to 67742. And we want to encourage you to do that. All right, now, as you all know, over the past few months, the US has been attacking our military, some boats in the Caribbean that are allegedly smuggling illegal drugs into our country. Well, the situation significantly escalated this week when the US seized an oil tanker off of Venezuela’s coast. That tanker was allegedly being used to transport oil from Venezuela and Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.
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The Department of Justice requested and was approved for a warrant to seize a vessel because it’s a sanctioned shadow vessel known for carrying black market sanctioned oil to the IRGC, which you know is a sanctioned entity. So the president is committed to stopping the illegal flow of drugs into our country. He’s also fully committed to effectuating this administration’s sanction policy. And that’s what you saw and the world saw take place yesterday.
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All right, that was White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt yesterday during her press briefing. Well, as you can imagine, the Venezuelan government has accused the U.S. of blatant theft, and they’ve described the seizure of the oil tanker as an act of international piracy. Well, what can we make of all of this and the latest escalation of it all? Joining me now to discuss this is retired Brigadier General John Teichert. He’s a former Assistant Deputy Undersecretary for the Air Force for International Affairs. General Teichert, always great to have you joining us on Washington Watch. Thank you.
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, thanks for having me again. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right. Let’s talk about this seized oil tanker. Reportedly, this thing has spent literally years trying to slip through the seas unnoticed. So what can you tell us? Any more information to provide more context, perhaps, on the move of the Trump administration on this oil tanker?
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, the Trump administration has a very good chain of custody about where this tanker has been. But I also think they’re now zeroing in on something that will absolutely make an impact in Venezuela, on Maduro and his inner circle, which is stopping some of the flow of oil from Venezuela to the rest of the world. that Venezuela makes 70 to 90 percent of their federal government income by exporting oil. And now this and the chilling effect it will have and deterrent effect it will have on other exports of oil will start to really significantly impact the ability of the Maduro regime to fund itself.
SPEAKER 07 :
So how do you respond to the allegation that this was blatant theft, as the Venezuelan government claims?
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, it goes back to the idea that the United States has a very sound chain of custody and recognizes that this tanker and its activities have been specifically sanctioned by the United States of America. And the thing that makes this activity different than the strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific is that it was done under law enforcement authority. There was a warrant that there was this chain of custody that I described. And this is the United States enforcing our law and international law against the sanctioned activity that this boat has been a part of for the last several years.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, so within that context, Venezuelan President Maduro, he’s alleged that the U.S. military buildup is really aimed at overthrowing him and thereby gaining control of that nation’s, OPEC nation, their resources. So what do you make of that argument and the overall military buildup in the region?
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, I think Nobel Peace Prize winner Machado has been describing it best and that there are two primary reasons why the United States has a keen interest in Venezuela. Number one, that it is at the nexus of all of the major problems in the Western Hemisphere. That includes drugs, that includes mass migration, that includes foreign malign influence in the region and includes narco terrorism. And then number two, that Venezuela provides a safe haven for America’s enemies in our own backyard. And I think those two arguments, though the administration has been making those arguments as good as they should have, that Machado has been helping us out by describing why Americans should be interested. And I think those two arguments make it very clear, in addition to oil and critical minerals, why Americans should be interested in making sure that we eliminate those challenges that uniquely exist in Venezuela and the Maduro regime.
SPEAKER 07 :
While we have just a couple of minutes left, I wanted to get your take on the controversy over the double tap, if you will, the strike on the supposed drug boat that was, of course, all of this was at the center of a bombshell report here lately. Do you think, General, that the War Department is walking a fine line here, or are they clearly, are they in the right or the wrong?
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, I think it was very telling that though the Senate hearings confirm that the Secretary of War did not explicitly call for the double tap, there were two other factors that are interesting. Number one, almost immediately the President of the United States said that he would not have authorized or supported a second strike. And I think that’s telling coming from the mouth of the President. And I think secondly, that we are hearing that the Department of War changed completely their rules of engagement after that double tap to make sure that we now capture prisoners instead of strike those helpless survivors. And I think both of those factors are telling in a implicit admission by the administration that they were not happy with the double tap and they would not have supported it going forward.
SPEAKER 07 :
Very interesting. Well, I tell you, there’s so much going on and a lot of questions overall about the use of the military, be it in the Caribbean right now or even the National Guard in cities with crime. So getting your input on all of this is just extremely helpful. Thank you so much. Retired Brigadier General John Teichert, always an honor to have you on the program with us. Thank you, sir.
SPEAKER 09 :
Jody, the honor is all mine. Thank you, sir.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, coming up on the other side of the break, Dr. David Claussen will join me for our weekly biblical worldview segment. So stay with us, we’ll be right back.
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For over 4,000 years, the Jewish people have had legal, historical, and biblical ties to the land of Israel, especially the heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria, which much of the world still calls the West Bank. To Israelis, Judea and Samaria is far more than a name. It’s the center of their ancestral homeland where nearly 80% of the Bible’s events took place. Abraham purchased property in Hebron, Jacob in Shechem, Joshua made an altar on Mount Ebal and led the Israelites into a covenant before God. On Mount Gerizim, overlooking Shechem, Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at the well about worshiping neither on Mount Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, but in spirit and in truth. Judea and Samaria is nearly a quarter of Israel’s current land mass, not a small strip of land on the Jordan River, but a vital and strategic part of the nation’s identity. The October 7th massacre, launched from Gaza, shattered the illusion that giving away territory brings peace. Gaza, which was once seen as the cornerstone of a two-state solution, became a launchpad for terror. Today, only 21 percent of Israelis support a Palestinian state. Trust in a two-state solution has all but collapsed. The Middle East is changing. Iran’s grip is weakening. New alliances are forming. But Western countries and some U.S. officials still chase the mirage of a two-state solution. History speaks clearly. The 2005 Gaza withdrawal, backed by the U.S., led not to peace, but to a terrorist regime. Judea and Samaria are 24 times larger than Gaza, deeply woven into Israel’s geographic and spiritual fabric. To surrender them would not bring peace. It would invite conflict and existential danger. Family Research Council stands with Israel’s rightful claim to sovereignty. It’s time for America to do the same for history, for justice, and for lasting security in the Middle East.
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Good afternoon. Hope you’re having a fantastic day. Welcome back to Washington Watch. I am your Friday host, Jody Heiss. Thank you so much for tuning in. Okay, at the end of today’s program, we have a very special treat for you, our sit-down interview with Franklin Graham. of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. And that’s why we’re mixing things up a little bit here today and diving now into our weekly Biblical Worldview segment instead of waiting until the D block. And something else that is special today. Today is the very first time that I get to introduce our guest as Dr. David Claussen. That’s right. Last week, David graduated with his Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. We are so proud of him, and I I just can’t express it enough how big of a deal that is. So joining me now for our weekly Biblical Worldview segment is Dr. David Claussen, Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview here at FRC. Dr. Claussen, welcome back to Washington Watch. Congratulations.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, Jody, joy to be with you, and thank you so much for those kind words. It’s a great stewardship, and just grateful for the encouragement of you and so many of our colleagues over the last couple of years finishing up this degree. So just obviously very grateful.
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Well, the entire Washington Watch family and all of FRC is very, very proud of your accomplishment. And we’re thankful that you are able to apply that kind of expertise to our weekly Biblical Worldview segment here. And so let’s just use that to kind of kick off. We’ve got a couple of related stories that I’d like to throw your way and get your take on. First, the White House is considering an executive order that would reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug. And I know that you’ve written about this in the past. But why is it a bad idea to continue going down this path of decriminalizing marijuana? Why is that not a good direction to go?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, really succinctly, Jody, reclassification sends the wrong message. And the message that it sends is that marijuana is not harmful. And an increasing body of research shows that there actually are significant risks when it comes to marijuana use, whether this is increased heart failure, higher rates of psychosis, impaired cognition. There’s an increasing body of research that shows this. Of course, from a biblical perspective, we know we’re called to be sober-minded, we’re called to be clear thinkers, and we know that addiction and dependency, these things grow whenever there is easier access, whenever the stigma associated with marijuana is decreased. And so again, I just think reclassification only benefits the billion-dollar cannabis industry. It doesn’t help American families, Jody. And I think what’s interesting with this is that even folks in some liberal states, even like Massachusetts, are starting to actually rethink this as more data comes out. So my plea to the administration is to really take a hard look at the actual science on this and that this would be a wrong move and this would not help American families.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, you brought it up, and that was the part two of my question. I mean, we have places like Massachusetts rethinking all of this. I believe they legalized it in 2016, recreational use of marijuana, and now they’re reconsidering all of that. I find it pretty fascinating that here on the one hand, a state that has decriminalized it is thinking about changing directions while the nation is looking about making it okay. What’s your thoughts about Massachusetts?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, just this week the Wall Street Journal, of course a very significant publication, Jody, ran a story about this that showed that adolescents in Massachusetts, those admitting themselves for psychiatric experiences related to pot use, has gone up over four-fold recently. This has led to actually, there was a petition, 74,000 people in Massachusetts are trying to get a referendum on the ballot next fall to try to walk back the recreational legalization that took place in 2016. Even the American Medical Association, their academic journal, they’re publishing research that shows, again, that with a heightened use of marijuana, that there’s all these negative effects, Jody. Again, anecdotally, I know walking around D.C., the inconvenience of having to walk through those clouds of pot smoke. But more important than just an inconvenience is that there are serious medical risks associated with marijuana use. And, again, that’s why I would plead with the administration to really examine this, because this does not serve America’s families and, in particular, America’s youth.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and all the while, while we’re seeing the war on drugs escalate, while we’ve been watching all of us in Venezuela taking care of the narco boats and this week seizing the oil tanker and all this sort of stuff, how should we be thinking about all of this? On the one hand, war on drugs. On the other hand, kind of loosening the grip of it all.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, the war on drugs has been going on for 50 years, I think early 70s under the Nixon administration. It’s clear the war on drugs is failing. Again, I appreciate the administration drawing attention to this, what’s happening in Venezuela, Jody. As a Christian ethicist, I also look at the social breakdown of families and the stability that comes with weakened institutions. This is a spiritual issue, first and foremost. Yes, it is. That we need to be praying about as well.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely. Thank you so much, Dr. David Claussen, the director of the Center for Biblical Worldview here at the Family Research Council. And again, congratulations to you. That’s a big deal.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you, Jody.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right. As promised, next we will bring your way a sit-down interview that took place earlier today with Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse. You don’t want to miss this upcoming interview, so stay with us. We’ll be right back in a moment.
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At Family Research Council, we believe religious freedom is a fundamental human right that all governments must protect. For years, Islamist militants in Nigeria have targeted Christians and other religious minority groups with brutal violence. Since 2009, 52,000 Christians have been slaughtered. A staggering 89% of Christian martyrs in the world today are from Nigeria. The first Trump administration declared Nigeria a country of particular concern, a designation reserved for countries whose governments engage in or tolerate religious freedom violations. However, this designation of Nigeria was quickly reversed by the Biden administration. Following consistent calls from FRC President Tony Perkins and other religious leaders across the U.S., President Donald Trump has responded.
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DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States of America, Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is a huge step forward for the protection of Christians in Nigeria as well as religious freedom across the world. While this opens the door for the U.S. government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians, it is only the beginning. We must continue to pray diligently, work strategically, and stand firm for the protection of religious liberty across the globe.
SPEAKER 06 :
In times like these, we need something solid to stand on. That’s why I’m inviting you to join me on January the 1st for Stand on the Word, a daily journey through the entire Bible. Each day, we’ll read God’s Word together, discuss how to apply His truth to our lives, 15 minutes that can transform your year. Join me and thousands of others as we stand strong by standing on the Word of God. Text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742.
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How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, good afternoon. Welcome back to Washington Watch. I am Jody Heiss, your Friday host. Thank you so much for joining us today. All right, before I get into this final segment, I’ve got a couple of action items that I want to give to you and ask your… I ask you to come join us. First, of course, we’re here at the end of the year, and I want to encourage you to make an effort to strengthen your personal biblical worldview in 2026. And you can do that by joining the FRC team and thousands of believers all across the country for Stand on the Word. Stand on the Word. That’s our two-year chronological journey through the entire Bible. And just reading the Bible for 15 minutes a day will transform your life. It’ll transform your year. And we want you to come on board with us. To get more details, visit frc.org slash Bible or simply text the word Bible to 67742. Come on with us. Let’s stand on the word together in 2026. The second thing I wanted to give to you is, of course, we are approaching our 250th anniversary here in America. And I want to encourage you to support the work of Family Research Council. We are here, of course, protecting the principles that America was founded on. And right now, if you give to FRC through the end of the year, through December 31st, your gift will be doubled. And that, of course, is happening because of a special challenge match that has generously been provided. So you can literally have twice the impact right now. And we urge you to come on board and do that. This organization is standing in the gap on so many fronts and you, our partners, make it all happen. So take advantage of this limited time opportunity. Simply text the word AMERICA to 67742. Okay, as I’ve mentioned a couple of times already today, we have a special segment to bring your way. Earlier today, we had a special sit-down interview with Franklin Graham, of course, the president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. And Casey Harper had the opportunity of doing that interview. And so before we actually air the interview, I want to bring in Casey Harper. Of course, he’s with the Washington Stand. He conducted the interview. And Casey, congratulations for having the opportunity to have that interview. And thanks for joining me again real quickly.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hey, thanks, Jody. It was an honor.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, so first of all, Casey, just provide us real quickly with a little context of this interview. What else about this that you might want to highlight for us before I show it?
SPEAKER 03 :
Sure, so you might ask the question, why were we doing this interview today, this morning, and why were we doing it in Windsor, Maryland, just outside of Baltimore? Well, Samaritan’s Purse, of course, runs Operation Christmas Child, where they take shoeboxes sent in around from Christians all around the country, And they check them, they inspect them, they add things to them or take them out, you know, depending on if people put things they shouldn’t have. And they have giant facilities where they do that with thousands of volunteers and millions of boxes. And they just opened a brand-new facility outside of Maryland that I was able to tour, talk to volunteers, and speak with the president of Samaritan’s Purse, Franklin Graham, And just hear his heart behind this. It was pretty amazing just to meet him and to hear that after all these years, he’s still focused on Jesus. He’s focused on the gospel. He’s focused on helping kids. But more than anything, making sure that they remember that Christmas is about Christ.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, Casey, I tell you, I’m so proud of you for having the opportunity to do this interview. I am positive that this will be one that you will remember for a long, long time.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, I think that’s right. And I just want to say that the attitude of the volunteers there stood out to me maybe more than anything else. You hear them cheering, doing chants. I mean, to see people serving, giving up time, you know, on a weekday is really a touching thing, and it’s the hands and feet of Jesus. But just to see the smiles, the laughter, the attitude that they had of joyfully serving, it was really moving. The Holy Spirit was present, and the joy of the Lord was there in a really cool way to see.
SPEAKER 07 :
That is awesome. All right, well, without further ado, let’s go ahead and share that interview with Franklin Graham, of course, the president of Samaritan’s Purse, as well as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
SPEAKER 03 :
Pastor Franklin Graham, thanks so much for sending me down with us. Thank you.
SPEAKER 12 :
Good beer.
SPEAKER 03 :
So this is a big announcement today. Can you tell us about it?
SPEAKER 12 :
Now this is, we’ve had a problem here. Both were leasing facilities over the years for Operation Christmas Child. So about two years ago we purchased this building. It was a rundown building used for fraud investigation.
SPEAKER 03 :
Fraud investigation.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah. And then it was empty and so we got it, turned it around, used it for this. And now it’s a facility to send out these shoebox skids to Operation Christmas Child. to countries all around the world. We’ve got over 1,000 volunteers just working today, right here. 11,000 total for this season.
SPEAKER 1 :
11,000.
SPEAKER 12 :
11,000 volunteers just coming right here to Baltimore to risk and celebrate. Of course, they do this in Georgia, we do this in North Carolina, we do this in Colorado, in Denver, throughout California. So these ministry centers really help Samaritan’s Purse get volunteers and to get the boxes out. The most important thing about these boxes is prayer. We ask people to pray. Pray for the child that, you don’t pray for the box, but pray for the child that forgets the box. And I believe God hears prayer and answers prayer.
SPEAKER 03 :
And I know that the gospel is so important to you and your family. How is that incorporated into these boxes?
SPEAKER 12 :
The only hope of this world is the gospel. Jesus Christ is the only hope. This world is in such trouble. And the politicians aren’t going to change this world. God’s going to change them. And so I think for us, our goal is to try to tell as many people as we possibly can about God’s son, Jesus Christ. That’s what we’re going to bring.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s all there is, really. No.
SPEAKER 12 :
In this program, Operation Crystal, it’s all about Jesus. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 03 :
And these volunteers, I have to tell you, I’m walking around. This is the most joyful place I’ve been.
SPEAKER 12 :
Oh, and you talk about the Christmas spirit. It’s right here.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, the Christmas spirit, the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER 12 :
Holy Spirit, that’s right.
SPEAKER 03 :
And there’s thousands of volunteers. Yeah. And you have centers like this all over the country?
SPEAKER 12 :
We do, yeah. And you couldn’t do a project at this magnitude without it. I think that we have about… 13 million boxes this year. Every box has to be open. You have to inspect it to make sure somebody hasn’t put something in there that would hurt somebody. So you inspect every box, tape them shut, and then you segregate the boxes, girl boxes, boy boxes. Then by age, you know, five to six years old boxes here and 10, 13 year old boxes over here. So you separate them and you have to, it’s labor intensive. If you had to pay somebody, you couldn’t do it. So it’s just something, again, God touches the hearts of these people. They come in and work, and we’ll thank Him.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I’m glad you mentioned the heart, because I wanted to ask you, what is the heart behind it? You mentioned the gospel, the children. Such a big undertaking. Why do you do it?
SPEAKER 12 :
We want to reach another generation. our children around the world. And we pray that out of this, one day maybe our God will raise up an army of young men and women who know how to share their faith, who will take their gospel to their country, to their generation. So it’s about passing a torch.
SPEAKER 03 :
And these boxes, where do they go?
SPEAKER 12 :
170 different countries and territories.
SPEAKER 1 :
170?
SPEAKER 12 :
No.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s the ends of the earth.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, it is.
SPEAKER 03 :
And that includes Ukraine, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
Oh, yeah. We work in Ukraine. There’s some countries, like China, that won’t let us in. Russia used to let us in, but not… So sometimes countries open, sometimes they close. Sometimes they open back up again. So we just keep pushing over there.
SPEAKER 03 :
And that’s something to pray about, too. You mentioned in your, you just spoke to all the volunteers and gave a really powerful message about how this all got started. And, you know, I think to many leaders of organization, this is an overwhelmingly daunting logistical challenge. But you said, something you said was that God was in it from the very beginning.
SPEAKER 12 :
Very beginning. I forgot all about it. And a guy was asking me to help them from England, and I forgot about it. And then the Secretary said, remember that guy from England? What guy? Well, he’s on the phone. Oh, no. So, you know, you forgot about it. But then that year we got 11,000 boxes. I was hoping for two.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 12 :
And God gave us 11,000. And the next year we thought, well, maybe we can do it again. We were like 24,000 the next year. So every year it’s growing. You’re just sort of seeing God’s hand. But what really had been making it, made this thing take off was we decided, as a king, we were going to make this an evangelistic project. We were going to make sure the related efforts would help every child that gets a box. about the true meaning of Christmas, and it’s Jesus Christ. Not Santa Claus, it’s Jesus Christ. God gave the first gift. God gave his son. That’s what this is about. And when we did that, God addressed it. So I can’t, you know, people will say, well, Franklin, how did you come up with the idea? I’m not that smart. I can’t come up with an idea like this. God did it.
SPEAKER 03 :
It’s funny. It’s about Jesus, but it feels like Santa’s workshop behind me.
SPEAKER 12 :
A little bit.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s right. That’s right. So when you talk to the pastors, because the local pastors who are helping on one end organize this and then who are receiving the boxes overseas, it seems like partnering with the local church is really a big part of what you do.
SPEAKER 12 :
No question. We gather the shoeboxes. The majority of the shoeboxes come from or through churches. No question. And we distribute them. through the church around the world. So it’s church to church, family to family.
SPEAKER 03 :
And then as part of that, the gospel is shared as well, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
No question. If you try to give this through a secular company, probably be a secular program, I would rather have less boxes that have prayer behind it than to have millions with no prayer. Prayer is the key.
SPEAKER 03 :
Is it too late for people to get involved to help you?
SPEAKER 12 :
No, no, no, no, no. We need shoeboxers right now. And, you know, you can come down to one of our processes, go online, see where a drop-off place is. Or you can put in the mail, send to Samaritan’s Purse, and you’ll take them. Even if they miss the deadline, you still take them and use them.
SPEAKER 03 :
And this is just one project of Samaritan’s Purse. You’re busy doing many other things. Well, you were just in Jamaica recently.
SPEAKER 12 :
I was in Jamaica this last week. We have a hospital down there in Blacktile River. That’s where the hurricane hit. Every building in that city was destroyed. Every building. Every building. The hospital is destroyed. So we put up a mobile hospital. We’ve got a thousand doctors and nurses down there right now working. And they’re an incredible team of men. So we’re working in Ukraine right now. We’re working in Basra. We’re working in a lot of very difficult places.
SPEAKER 03 :
And there’s a lot of Christians in Jamaica, a lot of churches. Were you able to interact with them? What was their reaction?
SPEAKER 12 :
Absolutely. We work with the church wherever we go. We identify with the church and we go in.
SPEAKER 03 :
And, you know, I think so many people, they love what you’re doing. They’re supportive. But then, you know, Christmas comes, they get busy, and they forget to look and serve other people. We can get caught up in the commercialism and all that. But I think the service, that’s what you’re showing here, the hands and feet of Jesus, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, again, these volunteers… They’re the ones that make it happen. And we’re just grateful and thankful to God for these men and women coming down here to work like this. And we’ll run this for two shifts today so we get these blocks of the process and get them on the way. But it’s a God thing.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. You mentioned the next generation. A lot of people are very, in some ways, hopeful about the next generation. We’re seeing a rise in church attendance in some ways. Bible sales are up. But there’s also reasons to be concerned. You’ve devoted a lot of your life to evangelism. When you think about this next generation, what do you think about and how should we be praying?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, EJ is a movement. I think right now, the college campuses, and I think Charlie Kirk was kind of tacking into it. EJ, generations have been lied to about sex and drugs, and they’ve been fed this whole line of socialism. And they’re insane, and they’re searching for something more. And I think you told this young generation, they’re searching for God. And I think that’s so important that everything we can do, we should always do.
SPEAKER 03 :
And what is the responsibility of the older generation to the younger and the younger and how they respond, do you think?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, the older generation, we need to set the example for the younger generation. That’s always important. And sometimes we’re not good examples. You need to be a good example. And just because we’re getting older doesn’t mean we quit fighting. We want to fight for every soul we can. We want, when I say fight, use every opportunity we can in life to tell others about God’s son.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, last question. How can people who are watching and listening be praying for you and praying for Samaritan’s Purse?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, see, praying for these shoeboxes, they go out. They’re heading out the door. These days they’re sending truckloads and truckloads and truckloads to the port. I just pray to everyone who gets gobbledygook to reach children with the truth of this gospel.
SPEAKER 03 :
Amen. Pastor Graham, thank you so much. Thank you. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, that was Casey Harper’s sit-down interview that took place earlier today with Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. What an incredible honor and a privilege it was for our Washington Watch team and for Casey to be there. To find out more about the work of Samaritan’s Purse, you can visit their website. That’s SamaritansPurse.org. SamaritansPurse.org. And we absolutely love that organization. All right, that’s all we have for today. Before we wrap up, let me once again quickly remind you to come on board with us for our two-year chronological journey through the Bible. This is an incredible opportunity to stand on the Word together. And you can get more details about that by visiting frc.org slash Bible or simply text the word Bible. to 67742. Also, don’t forget, just have a couple of weeks left for you to double your impact in giving to the Family Research Council. We have a challenge match. It’s a limited time opportunity where you can literally double your impact here at FRC. So we encourage you to jump on board with that to get more information as we enter into America’s 250th anniversary, how you can join us for that. Text America to 67742. That’s America to 67742. All right, that’s all the time we have for today. Hope you have a fantastic weekend. And we’ll be back with you again next week right here on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 11 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
