In this episode of Washington Watch, host Tony Perkins explores the looming government shutdown with a focus on the Department of Homeland Security. Conversations dive deep into the current tensions between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats, highlighting key figures like Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Congressman Arlen Stutzman. Meanwhile, the show shifts its lens onto rising anti-Semitic sentiments and threats to religious liberties, featuring insights from today’s pivotal religious liberty hearing.
SPEAKER 08 :
From the heart of our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
SPEAKER 05 :
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security runs out on Friday. Over the weekend, the Trump administration and congressional Democrats engaged in meaningful talks on a path forward. And Democrats have made their demands known in detail. Some of them are positive starting points for further discussion. Others are non-starters and unnecessarily tie the hands of law enforcement.
SPEAKER 16 :
That was Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier today on the Senate floor. Welcome to this February 9th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, Democrats in Congress appear to be moving the nation toward another government shutdown, albeit a partial shutdown this time. The funding for the Department of Homeland Security is now their target. Indiana Congressman Marlon Sussman will join us shortly to break it all down. Plus, John Stemberger, president of Liberty Council Action, will join me to discuss several life and family related issues that will be on state ballots this year. So get ready to take notes. I’ll have some action steps for you. Well, today leaders in Washington came together to address a spike in harassment and discrimination at Jewish and Christian places of worship. President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission held its fifth hearing this morning where testimonies were shared by those whose religious liberties have been violated. Joining me now to discuss this and much more is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been following a number of today’s top stories. Casey, what was the focus of today’s hearing?
SPEAKER 19 :
Sure, Tony. Well, covering the hearing today, I saw a clear theme emerge, which was anti-Semitism, along with challenges to religious liberty in the private sector and even places of private worship, which we previously thought may have been off limits. But Pastor J.C. Cooper of the Mission Church, he showed that that wasn’t the case. He shared accounts of agitators infiltrating sanctuaries like what we saw in Minneapolis, shouting slurs, even blocking church members in during worship services. I fear we may see More of that in the future, God forbid. Now, the director of the Christian and Jewish Alliance spoke and detailed the surge in anti-Semitic attacks and comments and incidents that we have seen since the fateful October 7th, 2023 attacks. Also, she went on to detail her experiences with protesters harassing interfaith prayer gatherings. But there was plenty of speakers at this important hearing. In fact, here’s HUD Secretary Scott Turner today.
SPEAKER 02 :
We’ve all watched the anti-Semitic rioters turn American campuses into battlefields, viciously attacking Jewish students, vandalizing historic monuments and buildings, invading classes, ruining graduation ceremonies, and harassing innocent students who just want to go about their day. No longer will we turn a blind eye to these activities.
SPEAKER 19 :
So there’s two important dates to know. The next hearing is March 16th, and they’re going to prepare a report by Independence Day for the president. But, you know, the big takeaway today is, Tony, that everyone agrees that there’s a problem and a growing problem. The question is, what do we do about it?
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, it’s more than something that government can handle. It’s a cultural shift, and all the more reason we need to be sharing the gospel. All right, Casey, today Jeffrey Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, refused to answer questions at a deposition before the U.S. House Oversight Committee. This comes after months of increased public pressure on the Trump administration to release the Epstein files. There was a kind of a buildup for this. What unfolded in the hearing?
SPEAKER 19 :
Sure. I mean, Ghislaine Maxwell is the right-hand woman to Jeffrey Epstein. And a lot of people who were hoping for answers today were disappointed as she invoked her Fifth Amendment rights. Now, lawmakers said that Maxwell, who’s actually currently in prison for a 20-year sentence, she was sentenced in 2021 for Epstein-related crimes. She was really frustrating, I’ll say that, to some of the lawmakers present. Here’s House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer at the hearing today.
SPEAKER 04 :
As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell took the fifth and refused to answer any questions. This obviously is very disappointing. We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators. We sincerely want to get to the truth, the American people, and justice for the survivors. That’s what this investigation is about.
SPEAKER 19 :
Now, while we didn’t get any more answers today, Ghislaine’s lawyer actually said a couple of really interesting things. She said actually that Ghislaine is willing to testify if she’s granted clemency in advance. And the lawyer also went on to say that President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any more wrongdoing. So there’s more depositions coming up, including with Secretary of State formerly Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton. So no answers yet, Tony, but more possibly on the way.
SPEAKER 16 :
All right. Thank you so much, Casey. I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of that. That’s right. All right, I want to go now to a member of Congress to discuss what’s happening on Capitol Hill as it pertains to the funding for government, in particular, Department of Homeland Security. Joining me now is Congressman Arlen Stutzman, who serves on the House Budget Committee as well as the Financial Services Committee. He represents the 3rd Congressional District of Indiana. Congressman Stutzman, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. Tony, great to be with you. Thanks for having me today. So we have, well, till the end of the week, till end of actually Friday before another shutdown, a partial shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security. What are you hearing?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, Tony, again, it just seems almost unrealistic that Democrats would want to shut down one of the most important agencies to protect the people. And again, their focus is on ICE because of the incidences that happened up in Minnesota. And ICE has already funded through 2029. And so they’re THEIR FRUSTRATION OR WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE WITH THIS LAST APPROPRIATIONS BILL RELATED TO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DOESN’T AFFECT ICE. IT AFFECTS FEMA. IT AFFECTS, OF COURSE, THE AGENTS THAT WORK FOR US AT THE AIRPORT. SO IT WORKS FOR THE OTHER COAST GUARD IS ANOTHER AGENCY THAT IT WILL AFFECT. SO THESE AREN’T AGENCIES THAT IT’S GOING TO REALLY affect anything related to the issue that Democrats have related to immigration. It looks like this could be a partial shutdown if there’s not some sort of an agreement by the end of this week.
SPEAKER 16 :
I was talking with the speaker about this over the weekend and the House Speaker Mike Johnson. So as you pointed out, ICE isn’t affected by this. They’re funded. They have all the money they need. But when you look at TSA, which covers the airports, you’ve got FEMA, as you talked about. If you’ve been in certain parts of the country, we’ve had a significant cold snap that has come through. These agencies don’t have any surplus. That was used up in the last government shutdown. So it’s not certain how long they can go without this funding.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, no, that’s exactly right. And that’s what I guess is to me, it just doesn’t make sense is that Democrats are willing to go to the wall, shut down agencies that help us as Americans, just making sure that travel continues to operate smoothly. making sure, of course, after these storms that we had in the southeast and in the south, that FEMA has its abilities to be helping where they’re needed. So to go and say that this is going to somehow affect the outcome of what ICE is doing is just not the case. And so it makes no sense. But Democrats, again, are showing that they’re willing to fight for the illegal in this country more than they are to fight for the American citizen.
SPEAKER 16 :
Now, the House is scheduled for a recess next week. I imagine, if this is not resolved, that that might be canceled, or, I mean, what might the possible outcomes be here?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I think a lot of it’s going to fall to the Senate. You know, we’ve already passed in the House the ability to move ahead and keep DHS funded. That deal was negotiated in the Senate, and they’re going to have to figure out sooner or later whether they can come to some sort of agreement. Senator Fetterman, of course, said he’s willing to vote to fund DHS. I was talking to him actually last week on the Senate side, and he just shakes his head. He’s like, I don’t understand my own party that they’re willing to shut down the government for just common sense legislation. This is going to fall back on the Senate side at some point. I don’t know what’s going to happen. They’re going to have to somehow get around the filibuster rule because they seem to be, Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, are willing to shut down these critical agencies for some sort of leverage when it comes to stopping ICE and the issues that they think that ICE is having. But again, this is not going to affect ICE. This is only going to affect other agencies that affect the American people.
SPEAKER 16 :
I want to move on to another topic. However, before we do that, I know that the negotiations have been primarily between the White House and the Democrats that are holding up this funding bill. Any idea, the specifics? I know we’ve heard in general, you know, one is the mask. One is they want judicial intervention. They want warrants for some of these arrests. What are we hearing are the areas of agreement and what are non-starters?
SPEAKER 11 :
I haven’t heard, you know, Akeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer put out a list that they were expecting from the White House. You know, I think the one that’s most egregious to many of us is the masks. I mean, we need to protect law enforcement. They’re doing a very difficult job. And frankly, these agitators are making the job much more dangerous because they’re going out and standing in the way between our law enforcement and those who they are pursuing. And so the masks would be a deal breaker. We have to protect not only our law enforcement, but protect their families. We don’t want to see their names and their faces being spread around to, you know, across the Internet to where people would then harass them.
SPEAKER 16 :
Let’s move on to the SAVE Act, Save America Act. That is something that the Republican leaders in the House plan to bring to the House floor. Now, this is a new and improved version of the Safeguard American Voters Eligibility Act. So tell us what this bill does and why there might be opposition in the Senate.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, again, you know, we’re seeing this polling that’s been floating around the last several weeks, not only just amongst conservative networks, but also networks like CNN and others that are showing how much support the American people are wanting to see legislation passed that would make sure that you’re a citizen of the United States before you have the ability to vote, that you have a photo ID. In the House, we’ve passed the SAFE Act, which already put some of those safeguards in place, but we’re really trying to put pressure on the Senate to say, look, this is something that is bipartisan. The American people want to be sure that their vote is protected. You know, a very good friend of mine and a friend of yours, Tony, in Detroit, Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, he was telling me his congregants went to go vote in Detroit in 2024, and they got to the ballot box And they said, well, you’ve already voted when they hadn’t. And so people are stealing ballots. And so this is a bill that would put more safeguards in place to be sure that mail-in ballots aren’t abused. States like California and Illinois and others California in particular, they do mail-in ballots. It sounds like a good idea, but what’s happening is a friend of mine said he got four different ballots at his house all under his name, and he said somebody could turn all four of those in and they would probably never be found. So this goes an extra step to be sure that mail-in ballots, there are safeguards there to be sure that the American voters vote is protected.
SPEAKER 16 :
We just have about a minute left. I want to get your response to this. Chuck Schumer in the Senate minority leader calls it the Jim Crow 2.0 bill. How do you respond to that?
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, again, I think that, Tony, we’ve seen this happen over and over where the left, if they don’t have a good argument, they just try to boil it down to, oh, it’s just it’s racism. That’s just not the case. In fact, Lorenzo Sewell is an African-American pastor from Detroit who is defending. In fact, he’s actually suing the state of Michigan to defend people who have the right to vote in Detroit who had that right taken away from them. And I think that that’s what a lot of times the left just says, well, we don’t have a good argument here, so they’re going to argue that it’s somehow racism, and that’s just not the case. I mean, if anything else, we’re defending every American’s right to vote and that their vote is protected, because that’s one thing that we as Americans have and should always protect it.
SPEAKER 16 :
Congressman Stutzman, always great to see you, my friend. Thanks for joining us today. Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 11 :
Great to be with you.
SPEAKER 16 :
All right, we’re talking Iran next, so don’t go away. We have state leaders that want to keep the deadly drugs out of their states. Maybe if these abortion pills were coming by boat, the administration would change its tactics. It’s time to respect the rights of the states, and it’s time to end death by mail.
SPEAKER 20 :
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, alongside Senator Lindsey Graham, led a press conference on Capitol Hill, urging the Trump administration to end the Biden-era policies that have allowed dangerous abortion drugs to be shipped across state lines. They were joined by state attorneys general, pro-life advocates and multiple Republican congressmen.
SPEAKER 21 :
There are more abortions today in the United States than when Roe versus Wade was the law of the land. And why is that? It’s because of the chemical abortion drug, Mifeprestone. Nearly 70% of the abortions that are committed in the United States today are committed because of Mifeprestone.
SPEAKER 22 :
The federal government is allowing a chemical abortion pill to be sent through the mail that wipes out every state unborn protection law in the land.
SPEAKER 11 :
It’s harder to ship alcohol in this country than it is to ship the abortion pill.
SPEAKER 14 :
And that should never be the case. This is a drug that takes the life of every child. So there is always a death that’s involved in this drug, but is also incredibly dangerous for the mom as well. We think that we should require a doctor to be able to get access to this drug.
SPEAKER 07 :
As a doctor, I think it’s essential that there be human contact before the pill is prescribed.
SPEAKER 13 :
It’s not about a national abortion ban. It’s about validating Dobbs and preventing other states from nullifying the legislative policy choices that have been made by our states and facilitating the illegal, unethical, and dangerous drug trafficking of abortion pills into our states without any medical oversight whatsoever.
SPEAKER 22 :
We can simply fix this if we have the courage to do it. So what are all of us telling the administration? You’ve been a great pro-life president, Mr. President. It is now time to deal with this issue.
SPEAKER 21 :
We want to protect life, and we want to give voice to the American people and their right to protect life state by state, city by city, and yes, here in the United States Congress. That’s what this fight is about.
SPEAKER 20 :
Let your voice be heard. Text LIFE to 67742. Sign the petition. Tell the Trump administration to act.
SPEAKER 23 :
Looking for a trusted source of news that shares your Christian values? Turn to The Washington Stand, your ultimate destination for informed, faith-centered reporting. Our dedicated team goes beyond the headlines, delivering stories that matter most to believers. From breaking events to cultural insights, we provide clear, compassionate coverage through a biblical lens. Discover news you can trust at the Washington Stand, where faith and facts meet every day.
SPEAKER 16 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in and making us part of your day. Hope you had a great weekend. All right. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make a very quick trip to the United States this week with plans to meet with President Trump on Wednesday. The meeting has been described as a strategy shaping session. Joining me now to discuss this, former Pentagon official Dr. Michael Rubin, who is now director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. He is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in Iran, Turkey, and the broader Middle East. Dr. Rubin, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Hey, thanks for having me, Tony. Strategy-shaping session. Seems rather urgent for the prime minister to fly to the United States just to have a conversation over strategy.
SPEAKER 03 :
Look, the concern throughout the region, not just in Israel, but among the Arab states, is if you’re going to take action against Iran, you actually need to complete the job. When you have a hornet’s nest, you either leave it alone or you get rid of it. But the United States has developed a reputation for standing underneath it, lightly tapping it with a stick, and then walking away.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes. My sense is that there’s concern over the conversations that are taking place between U.S. officials and Iranian officials. And as you said, just kind of poking around. Obviously, we’ve heard openly about the ballistic missile concern. My sense is, I’ve seen this before, that they’re probably coming over here to share some intel that they have that needs to be a part of the formulation of the U.S. strategy in these conversations.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, that wouldn’t surprise me at all. Much of our intelligence actually comes from Israel. When people question the U.S.-Israeli relationship, too often they don’t recognize that we actually get more from Israel than Israel gets from us.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, in Israel, I mean, they can’t afford to get it wrong. We’ve seen what happens when they get it wrong. But I think one of the things that really stands out to me is even though it kind of pushed the envelope a little bit in their relationship with the United States, after the fall of Assad in Syria, they went after the military materiel, the weapons and such that he had stored up. And now I think the world’s grateful that they did. Well, you know, there’s a pattern here, Tony.
SPEAKER 03 :
In 1981, Israel went after Iraq’s nuclear program. They were condemned for it. And then within a decade, everyone was breathing a sigh of relief at what the Israelis had done. Remember, back in 2007, Israel knocked out the secret Syrian plutonium processing plant. Again, there was a sigh of relief. Frankly, Israel’s intelligence in the region is pretty darn good, and they’re proactive because when push comes to shove, they are eight miles wide. They don’t have any margin for error.
SPEAKER 16 :
Right. I mean, they can either have the world say nice things about them or they can be annihilated. Absolutely. So what do you foresee based upon the comments coming out of Iran? It doesn’t sound like there is a spirit of reconciliation coming forth from the Iranian regime.
SPEAKER 03 :
No, there certainly isn’t. I’ve been watching what the Iranians have been saying, and it’s very clear that the Iranians haven’t gotten the memo that Donald Trump is different. Donald Trump is more willing than your ordinary diplomat, your ordinary president, to engage in negotiations. We saw this, for example, in the first term with North Korea. But at the same time, he’s much more willing to walk away. The Iranian playbook has always been to run down the clock, and we’ve even seen this by the Iranian foreign minister’s comments today. So the Iranians are really, really playing with fire. And what worries me, actually, is I think the Iranians are talking to the usual suspects, some Iranian-American lobbyists, others who are telling them what to hear, and they fundamentally don’t understand how serious Donald Trump may be.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, I think Iran seems to be using the same play every time. It’s the delay, the delay, the delay. And eventually the clock is going to run out. But let me ask you this, Dr. Rubin, when it comes to Iran, does Israel and the United States have the same red lines? And if not, where do they differ?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I do believe that they have. Actually, let me put it this way, Tony. When the United States looks at Iran and its nuclear program, we look at it as strategically untenable, because Iran with nuclear weapons would change the region completely. When Israel looks at Iran with nuclear weapons, they see an existential threat. What many Americans get wrong is this. The Israelis aren’t worried about an Iranian first strike. And when people say it’s suicidal, that’s always a straw man argument. That’s not what concerns the Israelis. What the Israelis worry about is Iran collapsing with nuclear weapons, because in that case, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would use the nuclear weapons as the regime is about to crumble in order to fulfill their ideological agenda. So it’s not suicide they’re worried about. What Israel is worried about is Iran with a terminal illness that is going to lash out in its last moments when deterrence is off the table.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, and as you pointed out, just so I can unpack that a little bit for our viewers and listeners, is that this would be the self-fulfilling of their eschatological view of the end. So they would be carrying out what they’ve been saying is going to eventually happen.
SPEAKER 03 :
You’re absolutely right, and you know, there’s two things from my experience when I was in government, when I was in the George W. Bush administration, that I see the United States consistently getting wrong across administrations. First of all, we don’t understand ideology.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 03 :
I mean, that’s point number one. And when it comes to religion, too often policymakers in the United States treat religion as a third realm. We can’t touch it because of the separation of church and state. The problem is religion is fundamental to the Iranian system. And so you can’t somehow believe that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, is motivated by anything but. So sometimes when Donald Trump is talking to him, it can almost be like apples and oranges, and this is where Donald Trump is willing to walk away, but Barack Obama wasn’t, Bill Clinton wasn’t, and so forth.
SPEAKER 16 :
You know, Dr. Rubin, that is such an important point that I try to make frequently is that when you have a worldview that is shaped by your religious beliefs, You act on that. But with this secular mindset in the United States that is dismissive of religion, even here at home, we don’t believe what other people are saying and that it affects their actual actions and decisions. Unfortunately, we’re out of time because I’d love to have a much longer conversation with you about that because I think it is one of the biggest areas that we’ve missed in our foreign policy. And I appreciate you bringing that up. Dr. Rubin, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thanks for having me, Tony.
SPEAKER 16 :
And folks, I want to encourage you, I was talking with the ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, be praying, be praying for this meeting that’s going to be taking place between the prime minister and our president, that we’d get it right. All right, don’t go away. We’re back after this.
SPEAKER 20 :
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 18 :
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.
SPEAKER 16 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to have you with us. All right, according to new research published in the journal Health Psychology, fathers may have a key impact on child’s health years down the road, even more so than mothers. Now, the study by researchers from Penn State University found that dads who are warm and supportive with their babies help lower their children’s risk for heart and metabolic issues by the time they reach elementary school. The study also found that early parental connection leads to better teamwork between parents. While the authors of the study say the findings point to the benefits of positive father-infant interactions, I would say it points in favor of God’s design for the family. This is really not new. Joining me now to discuss this and a little bit more is Dr. Albert Moeller, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Moeller is also a part of the Greater Than Campaign, a coalition of organizations, including Family Research Council, united by one mission, protecting children. Dr. Moeller, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 15 :
Tony, as always, great to be with you.
SPEAKER 16 :
You know, social sciences done well actually support truth, and that would be what the Bible says. Parents, fathers in particular, matter.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, you know, the background of this is the fact that we’ve had the subversion in just about every arena of life and the culture, the subversion of fatherhood. So it’s fascinating that something like this appears as it does. You know, the title of the study, you referenced it rightly. You’ve got to love this in academic speak. Longitudinal Associations Between Father and Mother-Child Interactions, Co-Parenting, and Child Cardiometabolic Health. The bottom line is, as you say, children at various stages who have their biological, and that’s important here, the biological father in the home have significant health gains over children, but boys and girls who do not. And you’re exactly right. This is fascinating research, but it just points to God’s intention in creation order.
SPEAKER 16 :
Right. And so that’s, you know, every time I see one of these studies and I’ve been looking at this, I authored the nation’s first covenant marriage law about 30 years ago. And the science was the social science that was done was the same back then, although there’s been an effort to suppress this type of research because the left doesn’t want it because it does validate the truth. But all the more reason pulpits should be preaching it and Christians should be practicing it.
SPEAKER 15 :
You know, Tony, and your background in the covenant marriage gain and movement, that’s really important because back then, back then, what the sociologists wanted to deny was that having a father in the home, the biological father in the home, was so important. Now what we face are people who are arguing it doesn’t matter if there’s any father in the home. And then, of course, you’ve got the LGBTQ revolution and all the rest. That makes, I think, this research all the more brave, don’t you think? I mean, here we’re talking about some researchers. They actually dared to document with a scientific and academic depth and thickness the fact that having a biological father in the home really does matter to children.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, they’re probably going to have to wear masks when they go into the classroom because they’re going to be doxxed by the left. I mean, this is it’s an it should be common that we would see this type of research. But as you said, over the last decade and a half, it takes great courage if you can get the funding and your institution to actually support you doing this type of research. That tells you a whole lot.
SPEAKER 15 :
That’s right. And I think the interesting thing is, so far as I can see, and I’ve tried to track this in the last few days, so far as I can see, only Christian conservatives are talking about this. The left will do everything possible. If it can’t suppress it, it’s just going to ignore it. So, you know, you’d think that somebody, I don’t know, the Today Show or somebody would think it’s interesting to look at this research, but we know why it’s not interesting to the mainstream media.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, let’s talk about you have been a part of and got some criticism for the greater than campaign. The idea that as a nation, our policy needs to go back to a historic view of marriage. As you said, biological parents, biological fathers. But when it comes to the benefit of children, it’s not just two adults in a home. It is a mother and a father. And we’re now seeing more and more evidence of that.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, and let’s be really clear. It’s not just in our contemporary moral challenge, the fact that sometimes you have a father absent. Now the problem is, I don’t think back when you were dealing with covenant marriage, you could have foreseen this. Now we’re talking about two, you know, Heather has two daddies, you know, and you’ve got the stuff going on with same-sex parenting issues. and all the rest. And the denial on the part of the mainstream culture, and I’m writing right now in a way to document all this, the mainstream culture has been arguing it doesn’t make any difference. It doesn’t make any difference. There’s no evidence in the lives of children that makes a difference. And of course, we know as Christians, you bet there is and will be And now it’s becoming undeniable. So I’m very glad to be a part of this movement. I know you are too. And I think a part of what is shocking people is that we’re saying things out loud. And I just want to say, if we as Christians don’t say these things out loud, no one else is going to.
SPEAKER 16 :
And it starts with the pulpit. The pulpit needs to be preaching. And that was part of my message 30 years ago, that part of the reason that we saw the redefinition of marriage, and that was after covenant marriage, but it led the way because we were not teaching marriage by God’s design. God has a design for marriage. And You know, we’re hesitant to talk about it because, you know, some people, you know, may not have, they may have stumbled and fallen and that’s fine. There’s grace, there’s redemption, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t teach what God has set as the standard. 30 seconds.
SPEAKER 15 :
That’s absolutely right. So, you know, we dare to say that children deserve both a mother and a father. Now, due to all kinds of circumstances and tragedies, sometimes a child doesn’t have one or the other. But we’re living in a time in which the larger culture says it doesn’t matter. We know that by God’s design it matters. And now we know, in terms of the evidence that’s right before our eyes, it really does matter.
SPEAKER 16 :
We should not change the norm and the ideal of what is best for children. We should freely talk about it, teach about it, and aspire towards it. Doesn’t mean we’ll always get there.
SPEAKER 15 :
Hold it up as the model and as the picture that God presents us with in Scripture and in creation.
SPEAKER 16 :
Dr. Moeller, always great to see you, my friend. Take care. Stick with us, folks. We’re back after this.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 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.
SPEAKER 12 :
The family is the oldest, most tested, and most reliable unit of society. It is divinely created and sustained. And yet, there are those who are always tampering with its values and structure. That’s why we need organizations like the Family Research Council that can effectively defend and strengthen the family.
SPEAKER 08 :
Family Research Council began over 40 years ago, like all great movements of God, with prayer. Today, rooted in the heart of the nation’s capital, FRC continues to champion faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
SPEAKER 15 :
FRC is one of those bright lights that helps us focus on true north. And I shudder to think, had they not been here, that it could have been worse, worse, worse.
SPEAKER 06 :
The Family Research Council is key. It’s one of a handful of groups that I think will determine whether our children live in a country that enjoyed all of the freedom and all the opportunity that we enjoyed in this great land.
SPEAKER 17 :
It’s just a wonderful parachurch organization that doesn’t seek to take the place of the church, but it seeks to assist the family and the church as we try to move forward successfully, not in a defensive mode, but in an offensive mode as we seek to live our lives according to the Holy Scriptures.
SPEAKER 01 :
FRC is not going to be whooped. You know, we’re going to fight. We’re going to take a stand. And again, we don’t retreat.
SPEAKER 16 :
You will never see in front of this building here in Washington, D.C., a white flag flying. We will never step back. We will never surrender. And we will never be silent. Back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Also, get the Stand Firm app. That way you have access to Washington Watch no matter where you go. You also have access to our news and commentary from a biblical perspective, the Washington Stand, and my daily devotional, Stand on the Word. All that can be found at the App Store, Stand Firm. Speaking of the word, our word for today comes from Exodus chapter 9. Then the Lord said to Moses, go in to Pharaoh and tell him. Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews, let my people go that they may serve me. Now, we’re all very familiar with this phrase, let my people go. In fact, we see it seven times in Exodus. Let my people go. Set my people free from bondage. To do what? That they may serve me. Freedom has a purpose. This is extremely important as the Israelites coming out of Egypt. It’s a type, an illustration of you and me being delivered from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ. Our freedom has a purpose to serve the Lord. We’re not free agents to do whatever we please. We’ve been set free for a purpose. This concept is seen in the founding of our country. Our founders spoke of our freedom in terms of ordered liberty. They did not seek political freedom to do what everyone thought was right in their own eyes. Freedom has a purpose to worship and to serve the Lord. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. All right. The upcoming U.S. midterm elections in November are expected to be a very consequential moment for the country. I mean, we’ll be battling over who will control Congress. And that means the agenda here in our nation’s capital. And much of the attention is going to be focused on the House and the Senate and governors mansions. But what also is going to be on the ballot that is critically important are ballot measures. Now, these are these measures that come before voters. They’re going to be in several states. And here to talk about some of those ballot measures and what we’re watching is John Stemberger, president of Liberty Council Action and former president of the Florida Family Policy Council. John, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Tony, great to be with you in person instead of by video. Yeah, it’s good to have you here in studio here in D.C. Now, there are there going to be a number of life and family related issues on the ballot this fall. And voters need to be paying attention because in the last four years, we’ve seen about a dozen measures put onto the ballot after the Supreme Court overturned Roe that went forward and states actually enshrined abortion into their state constitutions. Florida was one that actually held the three states that held off those efforts in the wake of the overturn of rural Florida being one of those you helped to lead that effort. What are we looking at this year as it pertains to let’s start with the life issue. What states are going to be dealing with this issue.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, so in terms of the issues that FRC and the policy council movement deals with, we’re talking about 17 amendments in about 10 different states. About eight of them are good amendments. They’re actually being affirmative, trying to pass good things. About 10 of them are bad amendments where we’re trying to kill things. Half of those are amending state constitutions. The other half are amending state statutory schemes. Some state statutes actually have where the people can vote by popular vote and actually change the statutory scheme. So two of those are pro-life, good ones. And then there’s about SIX OR FIVE THAT ARE BAD. THEY’RE PRO-ABORTION. THEY COME IN DIFFERENT TYPES. SOME OF THEM ARE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENTS. SOME ARE REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM AMENDMENTS. SOME OF THEM ARE DISGUISED DIFFERENT THINGS. BUT THAT’S A GOOD BREAKDOWN. THERE’S ALSO SOME REALLY GOOD POSITIVE ONES IN SOME STATES TRYING TO SAY, HEY, LET’S GET MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS STRAIGHT UP ON THE BALLOT. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR ISSUE. AND ALSO ONES TRYING TO BAN TRANSGENDER SURGERIES AND TREATMENTS FOR MINORS, WHICH ARE ALSO VERY POSITIVE AS WELL.
SPEAKER 16 :
Let’s start with the issue of life where we’ve got some states where once again we see the pro-abortion industry, the crowd putting abortion onto the ballot, trying to get it into the state constitution. One of those is right here next door to us in Virginia. We’ve talked about that on the program, but this is a big one. Talk about that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Virginia is going to be an enormous battle. There’s a lot of money involved. There’s a lot of political power. It’s close to Washington, D.C. It’s a historic state. It used to be a battleground state, but it’s going to be tough. Victoria Cobb is doing an amazing job there, leading a coalition, a large coalition of leaders. I’m trying to defeat it. But it’s very cleverly worded, trying, again, to deceive people. It’s not what you think it is. When you see these things, you’re not actually seeing the actual language that goes into the Constitution. You’re seeing a summary. And, of course, there’s democratic control of the legislature and the governor. So they’re doing everything they can to manipulate it. It has to pass up legislature twice. They’ve done that. So it’s going to definitely be on the ballot in November. And people from Virginia voters in Virginia need to watch out for it and vote no on this reproductive freedom amendment.
SPEAKER 16 :
Now, you mentioned that it’s not what it seems. Talk about that a little bit in Florida as you took on the ballot initiative there that the pro-abortion community was pushing. Number one, they failed to define the terms. They are intentionally deceptive.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. You’ll find some amendments that’ll have 10, 15, 20 definitions. Yet it’s curious, these culture war amendments that kind of slip them through, there’s no definitions at all. So we talk about something like health. Well, the problem with the word health is that’s always a buzzword that basically means abortion on demand for any reason, including depression or, you know, any suicidal idea, anything. It’s just basically so broad. As we had talked about earlier today, when Roe versus Wade was decided, a companion case, Doe versus Bolton, was decided. And the Supreme Court was trying to figure out the word health. It was a hospital abortion case. And they used an extremely, way back then, extremely broad definition of health, borrowing from the United Nations. And so it includes something like a headache. any kind of dysfunction or any kind of discomfort. What pregnant woman is not going to have some kind of discomfort, right? And so this comes with the territory of being pregnant. So basically, anytime you see the word health in an abortion amendment, it’s always bad because it doesn’t matter what they talk about, viability or anything like that. As long as it says health, then you know it’s going to open it up for abortion on demand for any health reason.
SPEAKER 16 :
One of the other terms they often fail to define is when it comes to a health care provider.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yep. Healthcare provider. That doesn’t have to be a medical doctor, does it? It could be an abortion clinic worker who’s not even a medical person. And this is a very vague term. It’s a term that means abortions could be provided by a non-medical provider. I can’t even imagine any mother that would want her daughter engaging in that kind of a procedure without medical oversight. It’s absolutely insane. And you think that the feminists and the women’s rights people would want to have medical intervention, even if they’re going to get the procedure, but they don’t. They’re stripping it down. So we’re basically sending these abortion pills all over the country, from other countries into the United States, no medical oversight whatsoever, and it’s tragic.
SPEAKER 16 :
There’s a really good point because As the Supreme Court overturned Roe, the cry from the abortion crowd was that, oh, women are not going to have access to abortion. We’ve got to enshrine these into state constitution. We’ve got to fight back on this. Well, the reality is abortion rates are skyrocketing. Prior to the overturn of Roe, there were 930, these are according to the best statistics out there, actually the abortion industry’s own statistics, 930,000 abortions the year prior to Roe. last year it was 1.14 million and on this year so far 2020 or in 2025 the number that was 2024 2025 the numbers as they’re being tabulated are actually running even higher so the numbers of abortion it’s even though Roe was overturned so it has not limited access and of course that’s being facilitated in large part by the federal policy in place that’s allowing abortion by these pills. So if you’re in Virginia, be paying attention. That’s going to there’s going to be a lot of discussion about that over the next several months. Idaho is another state where they’re trying to. It’s a very pro-life state. They’ve got some good pro-life laws and they’re trying to overturn those and put abortion into the Constitution.
SPEAKER 09 :
Idaho has some of the strongest pro-life laws in the country, actually. And the pro-abortion movement has raised over a million dollars, and that’s a very, very significant number. Somebody on the ground there told me that you can get a legislative seat for $20,000. So you can do a lot of damage with a million bucks. They’re going in with force, but we want folks all over the country to basically see how they can help our friends there in Idaho defeat this. You know, we can do this, Tony. We don’t need the same kind of money they do. But we need people to step up and fight. Well, we need pastors preaching about this.
SPEAKER 16 :
This isn’t a political issue. This is a moral and a spiritual issue, especially in the wake of the Lord answering our prayers for nearly five decades to see abortion. You know, the court reversed its position on abortion and allow the people to speak into this. You know, Lord gave us grace and mercy. And I… I’ll be honest. I tremble at the thought of God’s justice when we are silent on this issue and we’re allowing abortion to increase in this country. So it’s something that all of us across the nation, whether or not you have one of these initiatives on your ballot, need to be praying about because all of us are in the same country. And I think… I don’t think God’s going to be silent on this forever. So that’s in Idaho. Actually, in Missouri, there is a positive movement there. They were one of the states that the pro-abortion community lied, deceived, and was able to get into the state constitution, this right to abortion. Very, very broad definition. That is now, there’s an effort to reverse that. That’s going to be on the ballot.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yep, it’s a repeal amendment, so it’s a pro-life amendment. It does have some exceptions because they have to look at the reality of the politics in the polling. But it also prohibits gender transition procedures, so that’s going to help them. It’s not simply about life issues. So we’re very excited about that positive amendment in Missouri, and we want to come behind them and support them as well for those listeners in Missouri.
SPEAKER 16 :
All right, let’s talk about several states that have these on, but we’re not going to have time to cover all of them. Let’s go to Colorado that’s going to have actually some positive, believe it or not, Colorado, positive ballot initiatives.
SPEAKER 09 :
I love it when we play offense, right? We’re playing defense so much of the time trying to kill bad stuff, honey. But this is a state where we’ve got two very good amendments. One is protecting women’s sports, prohibiting men from engaging in women’s sports. And then secondly, it’s prohibiting sex changes, the transgender therapies. And these are two measures that are going to go in the Constitution, voters are going to have the opportunity in Colorado to vote on these things. So they’re great amendments. We want our friends in Colorado to be aware of them and support them, spread the word. Again, these are not political issues. They’re biblical issues, clearly. And so we need to come around them.
SPEAKER 16 :
So that’s in Colorado. So be looking for those. Those are still I think they’re close, but they’re gaining the signatures to put those onto the ballot. So you might have an opportunity to sign that petition to get that onto the ballot, depending on where you live there in Colorado. So that’s just that’s four of the states. There’s others that are coming. We’ll cover those. But. Just to recap, Virginia, big. That’ll be one that will be trumpeted. Of course, Idaho, very pro-life state. Could be very discouraging to the pro-life community there to see this advance. But really, at the top of my list, John, is Missouri, to see this overturned. Because Missouri is a conservative state. They’re right of center, pro-life state. This would be important. And, of course, Washington Watch almost blankets the state of Missouri. So, folks… Be prepared, be prayed up, be prepared for a major battle to recognize the sanctity of life. John, we’ve just got about three minutes left, but this is an important issue. We thought for years, we get Roe overturned and it would be, you know, we would be able to claim victory.
SPEAKER 09 :
This fight never ends. I really appreciate, Tony, your biblical and theological emphasis because there’s something deep within the heart of God for those that are helpless at the beginning of life and the end of life. You see this in the scripture, talking about the widow and the orphan. The unborn child is the ultimate orphan. This is a child that’s not just abandoned by its parents. This child is about to be destroyed by its parents in conjunction with someone else. And so this is something that is deep within God’s heart. We know this is pure and undefiled religion. There’s many things we can debate about, but we know that God really is very, very concerned with this issue and it’s close to his heart.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, when we go back to the Old Testament, we see that God’s judgment upon Israel often was predicated upon the idolatry, the sacrificing of the unborn, which was the shedding of innocent blood. And I think, again, we prayed, we worked. The Lord answered our prayers. The court repented. It changed its mind. Metanoia, the Greek word for repent. Look where we are. We’re actually seeing more abortions in this nation today than we did prior to the overturn of Roe. John, I just think this is a dangerous place to be as a nation when we had a chance to do what was right and we haven’t done it.
SPEAKER 09 :
We have about half the states that are getting it, and either half the states are going the other direction.
SPEAKER 16 :
But we have a federal policy right now that is undermining those dozen states.
SPEAKER 09 :
That’s exactly right. But we need to get in these states and get in these battles, find what’s going on in your state, go to FRC.org and figure it out. We’ll provide the information we have. We have a complete data on all the states that have these battles, and we want people to know what’s going on.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. Well, John, I appreciate your work. I appreciate you being here today. And I didn’t mention, but you’ve done some great work on the abortion, chemical abortion drug and why everyone should be concerned about it, because the fact that most of these babies are being discarded in our wastewater Not being filtered out. There’s some concern that this is polluting the water that people drink all across this nation.
SPEAKER 09 :
There is 700,000 women are being instructed to deliver their babies in the toilet. These are going into the water filtration systems and to city water soon plants. The myth of press stone is synthetic. It does not dissolve. It continues to live on. We’re dealing with the FPA, with the EPA. We met with the FDA. We talked to the White House. They’re actually in the process of studying pharmaceuticals in the water now, so we’re very excited about the second Maha report, which required them to do that. So it’s another thing. Check out abortioninourwater.org for more information about that.
SPEAKER 16 :
There’s no escaping the consequences of that. John Stemberger, thanks so much for joining us. Appreciate the work. And folks, again, if you live in one of these states, be prepared. We’re going to be talking about this for the rest of the year as we go up to the fall’s election. Most of these will be on the ballot in the fall. But be praying now because there are some states where it is yet to be determined. There are signatures being gathered. Legislatures are in session. Look, we need to take a stand for the unborn. Pray, prepare, and take your stand. That’s what the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6. So I encourage you to do that. Continue to stand for the unborn. Our work is far from done. So check out the website, TonyPerkins.com. We’ll have some resources there for you. And get the Stand Firm app so we can keep you up to date and informed. So until next time, keep praying. Keep standing for what is true and what is right.
SPEAKER 08 :
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.
