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In a momentous breakthrough, 20 Israeli hostages were released by Hamas under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, marking a significant development in the ongoing Middle East conflict. This episode of Washington Watch delves into the aftermath of the ceasefire and the broader implications for lasting peace in the region. As high-profile leaders like President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu navigate complex political landscapes, questions remain about the future of Hamas and Israel’s security considerations.
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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 soundbites into conversations with our nation’s leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
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Geico! Geico! Geico! Geico! Geico! Geico!
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Geico!
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Geico! Geico!
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Those were shouts and tears of joy, joy of answered prayers coming out of Israel, relief and celebration in Tel Aviv as Hamas released the last 20 Israeli hostages who were still alive. Welcome to this October 13th edition of Washington Watch. I’m your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, 20 hostages freed and a Trump-brokered ceasefire signed in Egypt, the first step toward ending the war in Gaza. But will it bring peace? Will Hamas disarm? Congressman Keith Self of Texas will join us to break it all down. Well, church attendance has been rising, and it has dramatically increased since Charlie Kirk’s assassination. But are more people applying biblical truths to the world in which we live? Dr. George Barna joins us with new survey results, which may surprise you. We begin this evening with news out of the Middle East, relief and celebration across Israel and Gaza after Hamas released the last 20 living Israeli hostages under a U.S. brokered ceasefire deal. In return, Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees back into Judea and Samaria. Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been following today’s main stories. Casey, can you bring us up to speed on the latest out of the Middle East?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, Tony, the Israeli military confirmed it has received all of the living hostages, and Hamas also handed over the remains of four who tragically died in captivity, with more expected to follow. In a speech at the Knesset, President Trump, he hailed the peace deal for Gaza.
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This is not only the end of a war. This is the end of the age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God. I believe that so strongly. This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East.
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After his speech at the Knesset, President Trump traveled to Egypt for an international peace summit. While there, he signed the Gaza ceasefire deal on camera alongside leaders of Muslim nations and European allies, Tony.
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Now, Casey, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not attend the summit in Egypt. How did he respond to the peace deal?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, Tony. Well, President Trump, he called it a monumental moment in the history of the world, and he laid out this bold vision for Gaza’s reconstruction, but Prime Minister Netanyahu, he’s more measured in his response. Now, as far as his attendance, he reportedly did not go to Egypt due to opposition from the Turkish president, who reportedly didn’t want him there, which is an interesting development. But speaking alongside Trump at the Knesset, Netanyahu, he reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to peace.
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A proposal that opens the door… to an historic expansion of peace in our region and beyond our region. My friends, this is only a partial list.
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Now, Netanyahu, he’s consistently insisted that Hamas must be dismantled and fully disarmed. And he did not endorse that broader reconstruction plan that Trump laid out for Gaza. So it seems, Tony, that Hamas is actually moving to regain control in Gaza, which is pretty troubling. They have masked fighters back on the streets today. And key questions remain. Is Israel going to fully withdraw? Who’s going to run Gaza? And will Hamas ever disarm?
SPEAKER 04 :
A lot of big questions there, Casey. Thanks so much. Of course, we welcome the release of the hostages, which is an answer to our prayers. And here at FRC, we’ve been praying for this, like everyone else, for a little over two years. And, of course, we’ve got to continue to pray for Israel because I think the most challenging phase of the ceasefire deal lies ahead because there’s no guarantee. And as you pointed out, it doesn’t look like Hamas is making any effort to disarm or give up control. Turning to the growing persecution of the church in China, Casey, what can you tell us about the latest campaign by the Chinese Communist Party that unfolded over the weekend?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, this is a big issue, Tony. So in China, over 30 Christian pastors and leaders have actually been arrested or disappeared. Many are from the Zion Church. Now, their homes and churches were raided, Bibles were taken, and families were threatened. Why? Because they chose to worship freely without the Chinese government’s control. Now, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he condemned the arrest, including that of Pastor Ezra Jin, and he’s calling for their immediate release. Christian organizations, including China Aid, call this the worst crackdown in decades. And of course, it’s gone going that China is using surveillance and false charges to silence believers like these, Tony.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thanks, Casey. You know, Dr. Bob Fu is a senior fellow here at the Family Research Council as well as president of China Aid, and he strongly condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing attacks against the church. And I want to emphasize that FRC continues to raise the alarm about the persecution of Christians in China. We have been. We continue to do so. But not only in China, elsewhere. We’ve been talking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill about this consistently. And we have a responsibility as Christians to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. So it’s not just a policy issue. It is a prayer issue. As Hebrews 13, 3 reminds us, remember those in prison as if you were together with them and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. So pray for those Christian brothers and sisters of ours who are being persecuted. I want to shift very quickly, Casey, to California, where a controversial new law is raising concerns. We’ve talked about it before. Give us the update on AB495.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s right, Tony. So this new California law, AB-495, it’s raising major concerns among Christian and homeschooling families and others as well. But Governor Gavin Newsom, he announced yesterday that he actually signed that law just days after it passed the state legislature. And this bill, it could allow relatives, even unrelated adults actually, to make major decisions about a child’s education and medical care. without clear parental consent. Now, Christian organizations, they’re warning and raising the alarm, Tony, that this actually undermines parental rights and opens the door for government overreach.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right. Thanks, Casey. We’ll talk a little bit more about that later. Thanks so much. All right, I want to go back to the latest developments in the Middle East, and joining me now to discuss this is Congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He served our country in uniform in the United States Army for 25 years, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. He represents the 3rd Congressional District of Texas, and I should mention he spent a good bit of time in Israel working with the IDF. Congressman Self, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Great day to be here, Tony. Thank you. So your reactions to the release of these hostages?
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This is a great day of celebration. When I was in Israel earlier this year, the number one issue, the only issue for the Israelites, the Israelis, the Jews was return of the hostages. Let’s bring them home. Became a national cry. Bring them home. This is a great day of celebration. Should be around the world, 700 plus days in those hell holes of Gaza. Now they’re home.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, unbelievable what they went through. And I know as you’ve talked to hostages who had been released, I have as well. And just what they endured is just unbelievable. And they’re going to have a lot of recovery to do as they come out of that. And so this was one of the war goals that the Israelis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had set out to release the hostages, but also to disarm and remove Hamas. Some concern that Hamas has been kind of filling the void as Israel’s been backing away. What do we know about that?
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Well, they are. And we’ve seen this before, when one terrorist group is taken down, they morph. How do you change decades of training your children to hate Jews, to hate Israel, to say that Israel has no right to exist? How do you change that with one day, with one piece of paper? That will take time. And Hamas will morph into something else if it’s not Hamas. But I will point out that now the other Middle Eastern countries have a responsibility to make sure that the negotiations and the treaty that they have signed will be implemented on the ground, because, as I say, a piece of paper means nothing. Let’s implement it on the ground and get it done.
SPEAKER 04 :
So how optimistic are you that that’s going to happen, given that even today, as the countries gathered, the leaders in the region gathered with the president, hosted by Egyptian President el-Sisi, that it was the Turkish president, Erdogan, that basically vetoed the presence of Prime Minister Netanyahu?
SPEAKER 18 :
Well, as chairman of the Europe Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs, I’ve already held one hearing on Turkey, concerned about Turkey’s NATO ally actions in the Middle East, looking to the east. I think this is very concerning, but we can never lose hope, Tony. We need to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We need to continue to pray that this will hold on the ground. But you asked me how optimistic I am. I have to be optimistic, but as a military planner for decades, I must look at it realistically and say that Hamas will do everything it can to cheat.
SPEAKER 04 :
Let me ask you this question, because we had 20 hostages who were alive were released. We had almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners that were released, some of them in prison for murder. But they were released not to Gaza. These are coming from Judea and Samaria. They were released to Ramallah. I mean, we’re told that the Palestinian Authority and Hamas are not connected, but it appears this deal does connect them.
SPEAKER 18 :
Of course it does. If they’re released into Judea and Samaria, of course they are. And Israel does this every time there’s a prisoner exchange. They release many more prisoners than they receive back. So this is the standard operating of the Middle East. Israel gives more than it gets. Look, it’s tried to trade land for peace four times, and now it took President Trump to get this done.
SPEAKER 04 :
But is there concern with these terrorists who have been incarcerated being released into Judea and Samaria that that creates even more instability right there in the heartland?
SPEAKER 18 :
Oh, absolutely. You think these people care what’s on that piece of paper? Absolutely not. They will go back to include strapping bombs on themselves. So this is a very dangerous period. And Israel, because it’s in Judea and Samaria, Israel needs to be very careful and very watchful of what they are doing. And I’m sure they are.
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Congressman Self, switching gears here. We just have a couple minutes left. Let’s talk shutdown. Government’s still shut down. Coming up day 13. What are we hearing?
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We’re hearing it’s going to be a while. On the 18th, they’ve got the Hate America rally on the Mall. We understand that it will not reopen. The Democrats will not vote for anything until after Hate the America rally on the 18th. So stand by. It’s going to take a while longer.
SPEAKER 04 :
Now, I understand some conversations I had over the weekend that the president is working to to pay our men and women in uniform, the military, so that they will be paid during the shutdown.
SPEAKER 18 :
We’re hearing the same thing. I’m not sure how he’s going to do that because funding has stopped. I assume that he is finding funds that will bleed into this fiscal year and he will use it to pay the troops and take it from other programs. But we haven’t heard what programs. We haven’t heard exactly how that’s going to work. And the speaker today warned that the troops may see a delay in their paychecks. So I think the details of this, as far as I know, are still being worked out, Tony. But the president has committed to it. So let’s hope it works, because that is one of the big issues that he can take off the table and put more pressure on the Democrats.
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All right, Congressman Keith Self, always great to see you. Thanks so much for taking time to join us today.
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You’ve done it.
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And folks, I want to encourage you, as I do often, to continue to pray for there’s so much to pray about. And that’s a part of our mission here at Washington Watch is not only to bring you news and information, but news and information that can inform your praying. because ultimately we need to appeal to the throne room of heaven to decide many of these issues because they’re beyond our control. Coming up next, FRC has released the results of a new national survey. We’re gonna talk about it next with Dr. George Barnett. Don’t go away.
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Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued its historic Dobbs decision, a ruling that overturned Roe versus Wade, which for nearly 50 years imposed abortion on demand, silencing voters and bypassing the democratic process across the country. The Dobbs decision was a huge step forward against abortion, but it didn’t outright ban it. It returned the power to the people. Now, 29 states have laws on the books protecting life. However, there’s a catch. Abortion numbers since Dobbs have actually gone up with an increase of 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over 1 million in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple, the abortion drug. Today, over 60% of US abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 2021, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum long-standing safety protocols for the abortion drug that have existed for 20 years to protect women from life-threatening risks and ensuring informed consent. The Biden DOJ then declared that they would not enforce the Comstock Act, which prevents the mailing of anything that causes an abortion. This is not only illegal, but also dangerous. A study shows nearly 11% of women who take the abortion drug end up in the emergency room with serious complications. Unless the Trump administration reverses these reckless Biden-era policies, pro-life laws will remain largely symbolic. Without a full review and repeal of Mifepristone, unborn lives will remain in grave danger and pregnant mothers will remain at risk. Let’s stand for life and end this mail order abortion drug pipeline. Sign the petition urging the Trump administration to take action at frc.org slash stop chemical abortion.
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Family Research Council invites you to join our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan as we reflect upon the life of Jesus, the Word who dwelt among us. Come with us and discover the glory of the Word. Read the Gospels and witness the life-changing story of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Come read how Jesus transformed the lives of common people and how those same people transformed the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come with us for 10 to 15 minutes a day and read the entire New Testament before the new year. Find our Bible reading plan in daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us in Stand on the Word.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. All right, church attendance has been rising over the last couple of years for some demographics, and it has dramatically increased since Charlie Kirk’s assassination. While that is good news, we need to ask, what is this attendance leading to? More biblically grounded Christians? Well, earlier today, Family Research Council, in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, released the results of a new national survey that gauged the opinions of regular churchgoers on various social issues, providing insight into their worldview. So what did we find? Joining me now to discuss this is the one who directed the research, Dr. George Barna. Dr. Barna is the Director of Research at Arizona Christian University’s Cultural Research Center and a Senior Research Fellow at FRC Center for Biblical Worldview. He’s the author of many, many books, including Raising Spiritual Champions. Dr. Barna, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 14 :
Hello, Tony. It’s always great to be with you.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, George, so do we start with the good news or bad news first?
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s up to you. We can go good news.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, let’s get the bad news out of the way. What concerns did you have in the survey that you want to highlight?
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Well, there are quite a few things that we took a look at, Tony. We looked at people’s faith. We looked at their worldview. We looked at voting patterns, political engagement. We looked at their perspectives on abortion and family and Israel, all kinds of things. And what concerns me is that we’re losing ground in the abortion battle where we’ve got more and more Christians who either don’t care Or they’re certainly not well informed about what the Bible teaches about it because we find that fewer of them are calling themselves pro-life. Fewer of them say that the Bible is clear and decisive when it talks about issues related to abortion, stands on abortion. There were losing ground in terms of the immorality of engaging in abortion. And with family, there were some things that concern me, such as the fact that a majority of churchgoing Christians don’t even know how to define family. And so the culture really seems to be taking a good hit. on people’s minds and hearts, those who are consistently attending church. They’re confused by these things. And there wasn’t as much support for Israel as you might have expected from regular churchgoers. And in terms of worldview, we’re also seeing people becoming more confused, less informed, and therefore not really thinking like Jesus.
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I mean, as I look through some of the surveys, especially when you look at the life issue, some of the responses would say that there’s this almost this syncretic faith that’s developing, that people are merging cultural trends with their faith. But when pressed, it doesn’t appear that they can point to any kind of biblical foundation for their views.
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And that’s a large part of the problem. People may go to church, but it doesn’t seem like they’re coming out with anything that’s moving them either toward a biblical worldview or toward biblical discipleship. So why do they go? They like being with other people. who they think are good people. And by the way, that’s one of the things that our research is showing is that 70% of regular churchgoers, 70% of people who are self-identified Christians, 72% of theologically identified born-again Christians say that all people are basically good. which, of course, is a direct contradiction of Scripture. But that’s just a sign, an indicator of what we’re putting up with now, where people are not getting the kind of teaching and the kind of accountability that they need.
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So, I mean, it’s good that people are going back into church. Church attendance is coming back up after COVID. are they getting the Word of God? It would appear to me that there’s not a consistent systematic teaching of the Word of God and its application to the world in which we live.
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Yeah, what we found is that sin is rarely talked about in the sermons. Three percent of sermons a few years ago when that was tracked. We don’t want to deal with those things. What we are providing people more often than not is kind of self-help lessons. That’s not bad, but it’s not necessarily moving people closer to Christ.
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Nor making them witnesses to the truth of God that can provide answers to a watching world.
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Yeah, I mean, right now my personal research coming up to a book on discipleship is looking at what’s taking place in terms of biblical discipleship. And we’ve got only about 3% of adults who meet Jesus’ six criteria for what makes somebody a real disciple of his. And the problem, Tony, of course, as you know, is that we reproduce who we are. And so the church today is sending people out into the world saying, you’ve got to be active. You’ve got to be participants. Go make disciples. They can only reproduce who they are with 97% of the people in our church is not disciples. That’s part of the problem. We’re reproducing attenders, but we’re not reproducing disciples of Jesus.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, we just have a couple minutes left. George, let’s get some of the encouraging results from the survey. What did you see in there that say, ah, there’s hope on the horizon?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, I mean, of course, we’re always trying to look for foundations that we can build on. That’s vitally important. And so we did find that two out of three people know what the definition of a legitimate marriage is. One man married to one woman. Found that six out of ten say that the Bible is clear and decisive in its teaching regarding religious liberty. And just slightly over half said that it’s clear in its teaching about the morality of regarding abortion. That’s not a great number. It’s down from the past, but still we’ve got a foundation that we can build on there. Found that six out of 10 people have an orthodox biblical view of God and a little bit more than half say that the Bible is the true word of God. So, you know, it’s not a perfect picture, but it’s a picture that we can work with.
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But there are those that want instruction. They’re asking for discipleship. And so I think the door is open for pastors and church leaders to begin teaching on these issues.
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I think the issue here may be one of boldness. What we’ve found is that pastors and church leaders tend to gauge the success of their church based on attendance, giving, number of programs, number of staff, people, and square footage. Jesus didn’t die for any of that. Instead, if we were to stand up and say, all right, look, you may not like it, it may be uncomfortable, but this is what it takes to be a follower of Christ. If you’re here, we believe you want to be a follower of Christ. Here’s the recipe that Jesus gave us for that. I’m going to give it to you. Let’s run with it.
SPEAKER 04 :
I mean, that’s how Jesus called people. He said, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. He didn’t candy coat it. He said, there’s a cost to following me. I think, George, I think that’s the way forward. I think just challenging people. All right, we’re out of time. George, always great to talk with you. We’re going to unpack this more, I’m sure, so don’t. Folks, don’t go away. We’re going to be back on the other side of the break with more Washington Watch.
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At Family Research Council, defending the family isn’t just a mission, it’s our daily calling. Every team member at FRC uses their God-given talents to stand for biblical truth, protect life, and uphold religious freedom.
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Here at Family Research Council, we face many threats to the family, threats that have been with us for some time. Abortion, the gender ideology threat, the attacks on marriage, the attacks on parental authority, and the attacks on religious freedom. We have to promote, support, strengthen, and incentivize family growth so families take their place in society in a place of honor.
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I’m defending the family by working in the Center for Biblical Worldview to provide cutting edge research and resources for pastors, ministry leaders, and Christian parents.
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Through my work at the Washington Stand, I passionately defend what God has defined for marriage and family. I don’t see the Washington Stand as just a place to talk about cultural events. It’s a place to share biblical truth with the perfect outlet to advance and defend what God has defined as good, true, and beautiful.
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Because of you, we’re able to frame things in such a way that help Christians stand for truth on the things that matter most like life, faith, family, and freedom.
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Thank you for standing with us.
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Thank you for your support. It is so critical to the work that we at Family Research Council are doing day to day as we support and strengthen the family. So thank you.
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Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in on this Monday. All right. It’s we’re into day 13 of the government shutdown. Of course, today is a federal holiday. So Congress is out. House is back in their districts. The Senate was on its way out on the weekend, leaving on Friday. And I spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson about the shutdown for our weekend program this week on Capitol Hill. And I’d like to share a part of that conversation with you right now. Here’s how that conversation went. So let me ask you this, Mr. Speaker, because, you know, CRs have become a way of life in Washington. And as you pointed out, trying to change that, get back to something we haven’t done over two decades, the regular appropriations process. But normally those continuing resolutions. contain, you know, what some would call poison pills or something to make them distasteful to the other side, policy initiatives that the majority party puts in. What makes this one unique is that it’s actually a continuation of what the Democrats had funded before. It’s not a partisan bill from a standpoint of Republicans putting things in the CR.
SPEAKER 03 :
It’s such an important point. Thanks for noticing that. It’s a nonpartisan bill. In fact, it continues the Biden era spending and policies, the Biden era. Now, we loathe that as conservatives, as Republicans. We’re trying to change it. We want to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. and spend less money and spend it more responsibly. That’s what the appropriations process is intended to bring about. And we’re forcing that muscle memory back. It’s like pushing a boulder uphill, as I’ve explained to everybody. But it’s happening. We just ran out of time. And people say, well, why didn’t you get it done by September 30? Well, remember, the first six months of this calendar was eaten up by the passage of the one big beautiful bill, the reconciliation bill, the Working Families Tax Cut. And so our appropriators were very patient, and they got a little delayed on it, and we just needed more time. We sent it over in good faith, Tony. It’s a great thing when the truth and the facts are on your side. We sent over a bare-bones document. I could have loaded it up with a bunch of Republican priorities and poison pills, as you said. We didn’t do that. I just assumed that Chuck Schumer and the Democrats would do what they’ve done every year. I mean, they voted 13 times for CRs during the Biden administration. And when we were in the minority party, we never shut the government down or something like that because we knew real Americans would be hurt. But they seem not to care. You’ve seen what Chuck Schumer said two days ago. He said every day the government is closed is better for us. It is stunning to me that they say these things out loud. He tried to clean up on aisle five after that, but that tells you what they really think. He’s getting accolades from the far left, and that is 100 percent what all this was about.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, let’s talk about those accolades for the far left, because as the Republicans put forth this clean CR, no policy priorities for the Republicans— What the Democrats are making this about is an extension of something that expires at the end of this year, which were COVID-era Biden or Obamacare premium subsidies. This was done during COVID. It was, you know, when that passed, they were supposed to expire. But, of course, the underlying issue here is the Affordable Health Care Act, also known as Obamacare, you know, funds abortion, funds transgender surgeries. They’re making this about radical left policies.
SPEAKER 03 :
They are. And never forget, when the government subsidizes something, it means it’s not working. Obamacare did not achieve what they promised everyone that it would. It was supposed to bring down the cost of care. It’s done the opposite. Premium’s gone up 60% since Obamacare became the law in 2010. Everybody knows it’s not working. So now they want to prop it up with these subsidies, just as they did, for example, with electric vehicle mandates. Nobody wanted to buy electric cars, so they said, we’ll pay you. The government will pay you $7,500 if you do it. That means it’s not working. If there would be any extension of these subsidies, which are COVID-era plus-ups, to people that are some wealthy people who don’t even need it, there would have to be massive reform to that. And that’s a very complicated thing to build consensus around in Congress. So they have bootstrapped a end-of-the-year policy matter. The subsidies don’t even expire until December 31st, and they’re trying to pretend that it has something to do with September’s end of fiscal year funding measures. It’s apples to oranges. It’s totally different things. They all know that, but they’re trying to – they just had to pick a cause so they could show a fight against Trump and get accolades.
SPEAKER 04 :
But Mr. Speaker, the Republicans have never supported these subsidies. So why do they think they would vote for them now? What’s the off ramp for the Democrats here with this shutdown that they now own?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, they painted themselves in the corner and there isn’t any off ramp. And the point about the clean CR is I can’t go to that CR document that we passed out of the House three weeks ago and sent over and pull off Republican priorities and somehow make it more palatable for Democrats. I don’t have anything to bring back. I sent them a totally clean measure. And that’s the whole point. They are not operating in good faith. They are lying to the American people. And they’re trying to mislead people so that Chuck Schumer can appease the Marxist left. This is reality. There’s a rising Marxist movement in the Democratic Party right now. They’re about to elect a mayor of New York City who is at that ideology. Chuck Schumer serves from the state of New York, and he’s terrified he’s going to get a challenge in his next Senate reelect. That is all this is about.
SPEAKER 04 :
Mr. Speaker, we’ve just got about a minute left. Scuttlebutt on Capitol Hill was that next weekend in D.C. is going to be a no-kings rally. And the idea or the word, I should say, on the street is that Chuck Schumer cannot open the government back up with that crowd coming to town because that’s the leftist crowd that’s putting pressure on him.
SPEAKER 03 :
That’s exactly right. We call it the hate America rally because it will be a collection of the pro Hamas wing and the, you know, the socialist and the Marxist and all the rest. And yes, they’re coming to the National Mall on October 18th. And Chuck Schumer is terrified of that group. And it is being whispered around here that there’s no way he could open the government before that is finished because they would. Someone said, quote, they would need his head on a spike. OK, they’re speaking metaphorically. But to him, that’s real business. And that’s why he’s doing this.
SPEAKER 04 :
That was part of my conversation with House Speaker Mike Johnson during our weekend program this week on Capitol Hill. If you would like to hear more of that, I tell you what, the best way to do it is get the Stand Firm app. It airs each weekend on the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and download the Stand Firm app or text APP to 67742. That’s APP to 67742. And you can keep up with us even on the weekends. By the way, you can also find on the app our Stand on the Word daily Bible study, as well as news and commentary from a biblical perspective, The Washington Stand. So go to the App Store and download the Stand Firm app. Stick around. There’s more. Get ahead.
SPEAKER 06 :
Family Research Council is committed to advancing faith, family, and freedom from the East Coast to the West. So FRC is going to Southern California for this year’s Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, October 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Join us for this powerful gathering of Christians desiring cultural renewal and spiritual revival. The Pray, Vote, Stand Summit brings together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action. Together, we will seek God’s guidance for our nation and engage in meaningful discussions on the intersection of faith, government, and culture. If the spiritual foundations and the cultural walls of our nation are to be rebuilt, we all have a role to play. May we each find our place on the wall as we build for biblical truth. Register now at PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org.
SPEAKER 16 :
Jennifer, it’s so exciting to be here with you today talking about our new book, Embracing God’s Design. Who is actually going to benefit from reading this book in your view?
SPEAKER 07 :
There are so many different audiences that can benefit. The first one are counselors themselves, because we have some material in there where we really address the gender dysphoria diagnosis and what is wrong with it. We have information for people who are wanting to go back to embracing God’s design for their life.
SPEAKER 16 :
This is really magical to have the therapist and the individual who suffered come together and write about why this is happening and why we’re seeing this.
SPEAKER 07 :
And we brought all of that experience to the table. We want to see people walking in the fullness of who God has called them to be and not a false identity.
SPEAKER 16 :
Order today at embracethedesign.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
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 04 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in and being a part of the program. All right. It is not too late to join FRC and other like-minded followers of Jesus this Friday at the PrayVote Stand Summit. I know it’s Monday, but Friday will be here before you know it. It’s actually taking place at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California. I’m heading there in the morning. I’ll be broadcasting most of the week from the studios at Real Life Network. It is October 17th and 18th, Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. It’s such a timely event with all that is going on, not only in the United States, but literally around the world. So to find out how you can be a part of it, go to PrayVoteStand.org. That’s PrayVoteStand.org. There’s still time to register and to be a part of the event. Our word for today comes from Romans chapter 1. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power in Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” God’s presence and power are so evident in creation that Paul declares mankind is without excuse for rejecting God. The beauty, order, and design of the created world testify to a creator. Yet the problem begins when truth is not merely ignored, but deliberately suppressed. In verse 21 it says, You see, ingratitude darkens the heart. When humanity refuses to acknowledge God, confusion follows. Professing wisdom, people became fools. Trading the glory of the incorruptible God for lifeless images. The descent began with suppressing truth, and it ends in spiritual blindness and death. For more on our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That’s BIBLE to 67742. Well, while much of the world’s attention has been on the long-awaited release of hostages held captive by Hamas, there were other developments that deserve attention as well, from church crackdowns in China to the assault on parental rights in California. So here to discuss them with me is our panel for today, Travis Weber, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs, and Casey Harper, Managing Editor for Broadcast at The Washington Stand. Travis, Casey, thanks for joining me today. Thank you, Tony. All right. Obviously, the big news out of the Middle East. Casey, we’ve discussed this at the top of the program, but I want to go beyond the headlines. Now, we’re thrilled about the hostages. I’ve met with many of the hostage families and with some of the hostages that have been released. In fact, we’ve hosted some here at FRC. But beyond the celebration, there is still a lot to do. Now, it’s clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu understands this. Because in a televised address last night, he said, quote, the campaign is not over, warning that Israel still faces very big security challenges. He said some adversaries are trying to recover to attack us again. So how are those comments being interpreted in the wake of the hostage release?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, well, Tony, I’m raising some eyebrows for sure. And I think there’s honestly a little bit of confusion right now where we’re asking the question, how does what Netanyahu is saying line up with President Trump? And I think it reflects some behind-the-scenes ongoing dialogue and tension between the U.S. and Israel, not fighting, but tension between what are the details, you know, the devil’s always in the details of this peace plan. What’s it actually going to look like as it works out? Of course, famously, Hamas did not agree to the full peace plan. They only agreed to part of it. And there was Axios’ report that the White House denied about a conversation between Netanyahu and President Trump, where they sort of had a spat, where President Trump was frustrated that Netanyahu wasn’t more excited about the partial acceptance of this peace plan. And so the hostages coming back is great. Of course, President Trump is spiking the football. And Netanyahu has sort of come around in his public rhetoric, saying this is good. that there is going to be peace. And he said, he used the word hopefully will be peace for years to come. And I think that’s pretty reflective of where Israel is right now. Hopefully this is going to work out well.
SPEAKER 04 :
Travis, of the stated war goals that Israel had in this war with Hamas, number one was to get the hostages back. That’s now happened. At least the live hostages are back. Second was to eliminate Hamas and ensure that Gaza was not under the control of the Islamists any longer. What we’ve seen reports today, Hamas has started deploying armed fighters and police across parts of Gaza as Israel withdraws. And this is an attempt to apparently reassert authority in devastated areas of the of the territory.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, no, exactly that. So if the goal is to not have them exert control, it is, I would argue, one of the definitions. It’s part of the definition of control to have armed men on the streets giving orders and backing up those orders with the force of weaponry and lethal force. So by that definition, they’re in control of parts of it. And there appears to be a struggle for control perhaps in other parts. But that should remind us all that when Israel is withdrawing, They’re leaving a vacuum, and into that vacuum swept Hamas 20 years ago, and they’re now sweeping into it once again.
SPEAKER 04 :
But is this possibly, you know, the first step on a multi-step journey? I mean, it’s got to start somewhere. And we certainly applaud the work that the president has done. But there were some other disturbing developments as the president left to go to Egypt for a summit of all of the Islamic partners, all the Arab partners here being hosted by President el-Sisi of Egypt. Last minute. This is according to news reports. Last minute reports was that the president wanted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend, but he was prevented from attending because of objections by Turkey’s President Erdogan. Travis.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I mean, Tony, this is disturbing because on the face of it, if you look at that table today, you had Trump in the United States, then along with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey at the prominent seats on that table purportedly to broker a peace between Israel and Hamas. So that would assume a neutral arbiter. So why would a neutral arbiter refuse the presence of one of the parties for which they are supposedly playing arbiter and mediating the peace. It doesn’t make any sense. It only makes sense if they’re not actually a neutral arbiter, they’re not a neutral mediator, and they desire to put their finger on the lever of this scale in some direction. And we have plenty of evidence of that in other regard, that Turkey and Qatar were aligned with Hamas in being a neutral mediator in this case.
SPEAKER 04 :
I want to play a clip of the president. He spoke before the Knesset this morning, our time. And I want to play clip number three.
SPEAKER 15 :
This is not only the end of a war. This is the end of the age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God. It’s the start of a grand concord and lasting harmony for Israel and all the nations of what will soon be a truly magnificent region.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, Travis, I’ll give you the first crack at that. Your thoughts?
SPEAKER 11 :
Tony, I think we all wish for that to be true, but we can’t say it’s true when we have obvious challenges to deal with, notably Hamas’s refusal to really comply with the conditions and the spirit behind the conditions of this supposed peace. And so we must address those and recognize, as the president is doing in a larger sense, that God is the only one, is the only one who can really, truly ever bring total peace to that region. And, Tony, I’ll just say, of course, we’re celebrating the fact that the hostages have returned, absolutely. But there were three lawmakers, at least, members of the Knesset who protested President Trump’s speech there today and did not attend because they feel so strongly that this will not bring peace, and they feel so strongly that this is allowing Hamas to remain, to rearm, and to bring future carnage and death to those in Gaza and Israel alike. Casey?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, well, clearly President Trump, he’s putting this in grand time, talking about an age. And he says at one point in his speech, he said, you know, it took 3,000 years to get this. Basically, who would have thought that I could have done it? And so he’s seeing this as a literally historic deal. I mean, I think people have been in this part of the world, people like Netanyahu for a long time, are probably more pessimistic because they know about the deep-seated hatred for Israel in places like Turkey, but of course not Russia. reserved for Turkey. So he’s marking this as historic. I think there’s a problem, though, Tony, and this could be an interesting question for you, which is if Hamas violates this deal in it more than they seem like they already might be about to do, and then Israel goes back in militarily, I think it’s setting Israel up potentially to look like they’re the ones who violated a peace deal that everyone else was on board with. And so it could be setting up a situation where Israel either has to not respond to Hamas’s violation of the deal or risk losing even more international support and being blamed for the start of a new war.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think this does increase the pressure on Israel. But there’s also a reality there post-October the 7th that what Benjamin Netanyahu described is untenable to the Israeli people. They cannot live with this risk on their border. Now, I applaud President Trump in his efforts, but I do think we have to be realistic. I mean, scripture makes very clear that true and lasting peace will only come when the prince of peace reigns now that does not mean we wash our hands of responsibility i think until that day comes we are called to pursue a managed peace all right i believe we need to try to get peace in the world but that has to be grounded in strength guided by truth anchored in biblical reality and i think As you pointed to, Casey, the history there is very important. It is not just a geopolitical conflict. It is a spiritual conflict as well. Again, that does not mean that we should be settled or we should settle for perpetual conflict. Not at all. But we need to pray into this. And so I know we’re going to move on to another topic, but I just want to challenge our viewers and listeners to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem, the peace of Israel. And that encompasses all the people, the Palestinians, the Arabs, the Israelis. Peace will be good for everyone. And so we need to pray and work to that end. anchored in biblical reality. All right, speaking of peace, there’s not a lot of peace in China if you’re a Christian. Travis, speak to what happened over the weekend.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, so there appears to have been a coordinated widespread crackdown on the underground Christian church that has been launched by the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese authorities. This appears to have started with Zion Church Network, a large influential underground church network, who some folks might remember during COVID, stood up against the government there. So they’re an influential, important network, pastors in multiple cities in a coordinated crackdown, detained and taken away at the same time. Sometimes churches raided during the services as they took place. In one instance, you know, a mother was breastfeeding her child and they were taken in together and then Another family member was called to take the child home from the police station. So this is disrupting churches, the leadership in those churches, pastors, the cohesion of families and those bodies, the local bodies of Christ in those places. Now, this crackdown appears to have been now spread at the direction of the government there. They’re extending it to other underground church networks. So Very significant, our friend Bob Fu, who’s a senior fellow with Family Research Council, in addition to founder and president of China Aid, is saying this is the most significant crackdown he is seeing in four decades. And that’s significant because he’s tracking these issues almost daily. And so he’s saying this is really significant coming at this time, right, as the world’s attention is focused on the release of the hostages yet. forces of evil at operation in authoritarian, coercive regimes like the CCP are exerting their power and influence to detain God’s people. And so this is a call to prayer for these detained believers, fellow believers in China. But folks should be aware this is a very significant move by the Chinese government.
SPEAKER 04 :
So I do want to underscore that because we talk about China a lot, because China is a totalitarian government. They’re always doing bad things. But as you mentioned, Bob Fu, who… actually was a part of the initial protest back in the 80s and fled China and has come to the United States. And as you said, a senior fellow here, he puts an exclamation point on what is happening there, that this is unusual. I’m wondering, was the timing of this surrounding the distraction with the rest of the world looking on to the Middle East? Because China often takes advantage of those opportunities.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, Tony, it very well could be, because the initial, the reports have said they, the initial raids were on October 10th. Bob says they actually began, they started, I think, on October 9th, late in the day, certainly as the world’s attention is focused on the events in the Middle East, the coming release and negotiations. So, I don’t think we’ll know precisely at this point. Obviously, it’s also possible that China is just concerned, the government’s concerned about the growing influence of the church. I mean, Christianity, underground Christianity, I think at the most conservative estimate, 60 million, some up to 100 million or more. That is very significant in terms of the impact those Christians could have on China as a blessing to the country, but a threat to the Chinese economy.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right. We just have less than two minutes left. I want to switch gears to go to a domestic issue. And, Casey, yesterday, California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law AB495, a very concerning piece of legislation that we’ve been tracking here at FRC. Give us a recap of this bill and why so many people are concerned.
SPEAKER 02 :
Sure, so AB-495, it broadly expands basically the way in which your children can get taken away from you. I mean, that’s kind of an extreme way of saying it, but that’s how critics are characterizing it. And the stated intention of the bill is that if someone’s parent, you know, if two parents are being arrested by immigration enforcement or maybe deported, They want to make it easier for signing that child’s custody over to a family member or not even a family member sometimes. And so they remove almost all restrictions or verification needed to sign away a child to someone else. Now the concern is that this is setting a really dangerous precedent for California officials or even a family member or family friend to sign over your custody of your child away from you for a whole host of reasons. you know, transgender care not being the least among them in a state that is really pioneering, taking kids away from parents for things like transgenderism, but not just that.
SPEAKER 04 :
You know, and many thought that he might not sign this to kind of portray himself as a little more moderate, but obviously his true color is coming through. By the way, this will be a focus this coming weekend at the PrayVote Stand Summit in California, Southern California at at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Folks, you can find out more, prayvotestand.org. Travis, Casey, out of time. Thanks so much for joining us today. Thanks, Tony. Thank you. And folks, I want to thank you for joining us as well. But again, check out prayvotestand.org and join us if you can. Until next time, I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul, where he says, when you’ve done everything you can do, when you’ve prayed, prepared, and taken your stand, by all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 12 :
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.
