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Join us for a compelling conversation on the new budgetary approaches the current administration is deploying to reshape public spending. Featuring North Carolina Congressman Mark Harris, we delve into the rescission requests intended to adjust priorities within the national budget. Alongside, industry insights on public broadcasting defunding initiatives are shared, emphasizing the push towards an economic and energy-independent America.
SPEAKER 15 :
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 04 :
I would say from the standpoint of where we are in a new administration, we’ve never seen anything like this. So in terms of the amounts coming in from tariffs, the enthusiasm, when was the last time we had Congress asking for a rescissions bill? And then to have the fight in Congress being on the budget resolution, we have to go north of a trillion. That would be the most historic mandatory reforms we’ve seen since the mid-1990s. And so I couldn’t be happier.
SPEAKER 05 :
That was OAMB Director Russ Vogt yesterday discussing a budgetary approach that the administration is taking to cancel out already allocated federal dollars. Welcome to this April 17th edition of Washington Watch. Thanks for tuning in. Trump administration announced it’s canceling nearly $10 billion in federal funds previously allocated, allocated to foreign aid programs, to NPR and PBS. And when Congress returns to Washington at the end of the month, the administration will advance what’s called a rescission request, requiring a simple majority vote in each chamber. We’ll discuss this move further with North Carolina Congressman Mark Harris. And if you’ve wondered about the wisdom of redirecting funds from Big Bird, Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media, will join us to provide insight on publicly funded media. Additionally, the administration is targeting excessive regulations in its second term to further stimulate economic growth, particularly in the energy sector.
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The value of untapped coal in our country is 100 times greater than the value of all the gold at Fort Knox, and we’re going to unleash it and make America rich and powerful again. Pound for pound, coal is the single most reliable, durable, secure, and powerful form of energy there is on Earth today.
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That was President Trump last week as he signed an executive order regarding the coal industry. Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell will share his perspectives on these important regulatory changes. And earlier this week, I had the privilege of praying at the joint session of the Louisiana State Legislature before Governor Jeff Landry gave his State of the State Address. Among Louisiana’s impressive achievements was educational outcomes stand out, not merely spending or increased enrollment numbers, but genuine results. Louisiana Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley will join us to discuss this remarkable progress the state of Louisiana is making. And finally, session nine of our God and Government series is now available on the Stand Firm app. This session explores poverty from a biblical perspective, examining its root causes, and then identifying who Scripture says is responsible to address it. If you don’t have the Stand Firm app, I’ll send you a link to the course. Simply text the word course to 67742. That’s course to 67742. All right. As I mentioned, when Congress reconvenes later this month on the 28th, House and Senate leaders will meet to continue work toward President Trump’s vision of one big, beautiful government funding bill. Well, another item that they’ll be taking up is actually another budgetary tool called rescissions. So what is rescissions and how does it work? Joining us now by phone, North Carolina Congressman Mark Harris. He previously served as FRC’s vice president for the Association of Churches and Ministries. He represents the 8th Congressional District of North Carolina. Congressman Harris, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 18 :
Hey, Tony, it’s great to be with you. Thank you for having me this afternoon.
SPEAKER 05 :
So let’s start with this. For those that are not as well-versed with the tools in Congress’s toolbox when it comes to economic, dealing with the budget and such, let’s talk about rescission. What is that that the administration is putting forward to, one, take away funding from public broadcasting?
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Well, the rescission authority basically that Congress has is really a tool that is available to the president and to Congress to really just cancel previously appropriated spending. And it kind of goes back to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974, which allows the president to withhold available federal funds from being spent. They’re, frankly, therefore saving the money. And this president has that authority. we believe, and he is in the process of doing that right now.
SPEAKER 05 :
So this rescission package will be waiting for Congress when they return. And one of the things that makes this attractive, like reconciliation, is that it only requires a simple majority vote in each chamber. So this is one way to change priorities, especially in the Senate. You don’t have to meet the 60-vote threshold. What is your sense in the House? I was talking earlier with Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. He thinks they might lose one or two senators in the Senate that are a little squishy, but thinks they’ll be able to get this across the threshold in the Senate. Do you think this will get the necessary votes in the House?
SPEAKER 03 :
I would certainly think so. You know, even the votes that we have lost individual members and still managed to get the bill through were some of the most conservative fiscal hawks, if you will. And I think when you consider what this rescission is going to be used for, you know, simply dealing with, as you mentioned, PBS and dealing with NPR, which have really been just used to peddle the left-wing talking points on the taxpayer dime, I think there’s just about, I would think there would be overwhelming support among Republicans in the House to do that. And then, obviously, we all celebrated the fact that Doge was uncovering so many of these things of spending and on foreign aid and some things like that. And according to Russ Vogt of OMB, this foreign aid that we look to be able to save through it as well, are some of those very things, from the Iraqi Sesame Street to the Palestinian media support to the championing changes in gender norms. All of those things are opportunities for us to take some real action to correct what Doge has uncovered.
SPEAKER 05 :
Congressman Harris, you say this goes back to the 1974 Budget Act that also is the source of the ability to do reconciliation. Has this been used very much?
SPEAKER 03 :
Not to my knowledge. You don’t hear of it a lot. But I think that, again, this president is using every tool in the toolbox to get our country back on track. And the recisions are going to allow us to codify these efforts that have been used to deal with waste, fraud, and abuse. And it’s just government spending that is so out of control. And to me, this is one of the clearest steps to take toward rectifying that situation.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, starting with the low hanging fruit. And again, because of this budgetary tool, it only requires the majority vote in the Senate 51 votes, which, you know, almost everything gets hung up there because of the 60 vote requirement. What is that? Go ahead.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I was going to say, I do think it does include a certain time frame for within which we have to act. So we can approve the rescissions within 45 days of a presidential proposal before the withheld funds become available. So it’s my understanding we’re going to receive this when we get back on Monday night, April 28th. And if that 45 days is applied, I believe that’ll take you up to June 12th. That will be the timeframe that we’ll need to act, which Again, even with our trajectory that we’re on and that the speaker has laid out for us and the majority leader, we would love to really have reconciliation done by the time we get to Memorial Day, an aggressive timetable, but one that I really think can be met nonetheless. And this is going to fall within that same similar timeframe.
SPEAKER 05 :
That was actually my next question, was the time frame, because there is a window in which this has to be done. And I understand the administration may actually have some other rescissions that they’ll want to advance to the Congress to get done as well. But as you said, the workload starts getting backed up, going to get a traffic jam with measures coming through. Let me, you’ve been back this week. Congress has been back in their districts, been back home. What are you hearing from constituents? I know a lot of people concerned with kind of the up and down of the stock market because of the tariffs discussion going on. What are you hearing from your constituents?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, you know, I’ve been, in fact, I was in meetings earlier this afternoon with folks from all nine of the counties in my district, some of the leaders, law enforcement particularly, today. As I listen to folks, and I’ve been in meetings throughout this week, folks are obviously watching to see what happens with the market, but I’ve not really sensed that there’s any mindset of panic. I think that everybody’s recognizing, at least what I’m seeing and hearing in the district, that there had to be a course correction. They knew when we elected President Trump and gave the trifecta with the House and the Senate, along with the White House, that we were going to do government differently. And I think that they’re willing just to see how this plays out. I think that everybody’s anxious to see how it’s going to be resolved and be over sooner rather than later. But I think everybody understands where we are, what we’re trying to do. And in a district like mine, where, again, bad trade deals happen, in the 90s and before just left this area devastated. I think if we see hope of bringing manufacturing back and some of those things to our communities, it is going to be very, very well received. So overall, I think folks are encouraged with where we are right now.
SPEAKER 05 :
That squares with what I’ve heard from other members. In fact, this morning talking to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s been crisscrossing the country. Anytime Congress is out, he’s out there raising funds. And the Republicans are actually setting records in fundraising, which would suggest that. you know, while people are watching, they still have confidence in what this administration and what the Republicans are doing. I think most people understand there’s going to be a little turbulence. Anytime you do a course correction, you’re going to have some difficulty. But I would say that the president has built up kind of some political capital, I think, with people that they trust the decision he’s going to make and they’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, I agree. I think if anything… This is, you know, we talk about playing to our strengths and playing where our gifts are. I think that most everybody looks at President Trump and recognizes if there’s anybody that you wanted as a negotiator in chief when it comes to these kind of issues, he would be a man that would fit that bill. And I think that his ability to really deal with these countries one-on-one I think is going to be something that will be a tremendous, tremendous blessing to the country once we get through the process of the negotiations. But you’re right. I think he’s built up that political capital. I think folks recognize that this is his wheelhouse in many ways. And I think that we’re going to see results.
SPEAKER 05 :
Mark, we just have about a minute left. Let me give you an opportunity. Like I said, we have a minute left. You now have a few months under your belt as a member of Congress from the 8th District there in North Carolina. What are your takeaways? What do you think so far?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, it’s been an exciting ride thus far. And frankly, I can’t think of a better time to be serving in Congress than the season that we’re serving in right now. And when I look at the takeaways, I’m so grateful. I want people to realize one reason we see the left in such disarray and we see the left not having any leadership, they seem rudderless in all that they’re doing, a lot of that is because Republicans have taken away the narrative that they were planning on operating with, and that was they were wanting to say Republicans can’t govern. And I think with President Trump, I think with Speaker Johnson, I think with Senator Thune leading the Senate, I think we are showing that we can govern. We haven’t splintered off. We can work together. And as long as we keep moving the needle, I think the American people are going to continue to be encouraged and continue to trust us to govern.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you, Mark.
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At Family Research Council, we believe religious freedom is a fundamental human right that all governments must protect. That’s why FRC President Tony Perkins went to Capitol Hill to testify on behalf of persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Islamist terror groups target Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria with brutal violence. Representative Chris Smith, who chaired the hearing, said 55,000 people have been killed and 21,000 abducted in the last five years alone. The congressman also stressed that 89% of Christians in the world who are martyred are from Nigeria.
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Yet the government of Nigeria has failed to make progress against religiously motivated persecution of Christians despite religious freedom being enshrined as an essential human right in their constitution.
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Tony Perkins called for the United States to send an unmistakable message.
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This is systematic religious violence. Nigeria must be redesignated a country of particular concern. The Biden administration’s removal of this designation was a reckless mistake that emboldened the very terrorists who are slaughtering Christians.
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Redesignating Nigeria will enable the U.S. government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians.
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These are not just numbers. These are fathers, their mothers, their children, their families.
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Bishop Wilfred Anagabe risked his life to speak out, sharing firsthand accounts of the danger faced in his church district in central Nigeria.
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We live in fear because at any point it can be our turn to be killed. But to remain silent is to die twice. So I have chosen to speak.
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FRC is calling on President Trump to act now to promote religious freedom around the globe and speak up on behalf of Christians in Nigeria.
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Download the new Stand Firm app for Apple and Android phones today and join a wonderful community of fellow believers. We’ve created a special place for you to access news from a biblical perspective, read and listen to daily devotionals, pray for current events and more. Share the Stand Firm app with your friends, family and church members and stand firm everywhere you go.
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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 05 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Well, we lost Mark in mid-sentence. We can’t do anything about that break. But we’re back now. And as we were discussing, when Congress returns, the White House is going to ask for a rescission of $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This, after the heads of NPR and PBS made what I would describe as disastrous appearances on Capitol Hill last month, where they actually defended their slanted news coverage, acting like they don’t know why anybody was upset. Among other things they were defending, like genderqueer dinosaur enthusiast? You know what? Maybe it’s time for taxpayer funding of NPR and PBS to go the way of the dinosaur. Joining me now is Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Great American Media, which has several networks under its umbrella, including the Great American Family Network and Pure Flix. Bill has a long history in the broadcasting industry, going back to the Family Channel with CBN. During his time at Hallmark, he was a driving force behind the family-friendly content many people grew to trust and enjoy. Bill, welcome to Washington Watch. Good to see you.
SPEAKER 06 :
Thank you. Big fan of the show, and it’s a privilege to be with you.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, thank you. In the last segment, we talked about President Trump’s plans to defund PBS and NPR. You’re an industry insider. You know how things work. You know how the entertainment industry, broadcasting industry runs contrary to the values of most Americans. In your opinion, is this defunding long overdue?
SPEAKER 06 :
It is so long overdue. They have really abused the public trust in probably for the past two decades at least. These institutions or these companies that were founded are taking an enormous amount of money from taxpayers and going against traditional values that the vast majority of Americans believe in and looking to socially engineer and change the way people think.
SPEAKER 05 :
Now, I don’t maybe I guess I could go back far enough to to present an argument in defense of funding these entities, because maybe we didn’t have a lot of options out there. But that’s not what the world looks like today.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, that’s right. And they stand on the fact that they are a good place in case of emergency or they broadcast the local markets about things that people can’t get in rural areas. But that’s simply not true any longer. And the landscape in the world has changed so much that there’s really no need for a PBS to be funded with a billion one. of cost for over a two-year period.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, Bill, talk a little bit about what is happening in the industry that you’ve watched over the time that you’ve been in, especially as it turns, you know, our listeners, our viewers, they want wholesome, safe entertainment for their family. They want information through news, but they also want entertainment. Talk about what’s happened in the industry over these last few Really, just the last couple of decades, we’ve seen some acceleration in options that are out there.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, no question. It used to be that the 9 o’clock hour or the 10 o’clock hour was the only place on television that you would see anything even a little bit salacious or violent or that didn’t meet up to the values of most people. And that slipped in the sequence of standards really being diminished to now any time of the day, anything goes really. And Actually, the more salacious, the more rewarded content is in Hollywood and the more it’s celebrated in so many ways. And it’s really, it’s a race to the bottom of the ecosystem.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, I… I was a big fan of Hallmark. I liked them. There’s a family. We would watch those movies. You were there. You took a stand because even Hallmark was not immune from this push from the left for our viewers and listeners that were not are not familiar with what happened there. Explain that and where that led. What steps that led you to take.
SPEAKER 06 :
So we were we ultimately became the highest rated network, especially Christmas. And in 2017, there was a dramatic change in terms of the way they were approaching the the entertainment landscape. And they really wanted to become much more, quote unquote, diverse and abandon the audience that had made us number one. And we knew very well the tastes of the audience. And it was very clear things that they wanted to see and things that they didn’t feel. were appropriate for their family and maybe they’d want to have a conversation about certain things with their 10-year-old at 9 o’clock at night during the Christmas season. So we ultimately, or the management team, a large part of the management team, did not agree with the wokeness and really the pursuit of normalizing activity and behavior that was not the vast majority of the values that we believed our audience held.
SPEAKER 05 :
Who was driving that? Where was that coming from?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, unfortunately, the family that owned the business, it was a private company, and so You know, certainly as time changed and time moved on, the family became much more liberal and they wanted to be cool at the cocktail party. And you’re not going to be cool at the cocktail party with faith and family content.
SPEAKER 05 :
In Hollywood. Yes, true. But that, you know, when the Lord shuts one door, he opens another. You started the Great American Family Channel. Talk a little bit about that and where that stands today.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, so we have a tremendous group of backers behind this, not only from a viewership point of view, but from a financing point of view. And Doug Deason, our chairman, who is in Dallas, is a big believer in the values, again, that we hold dear, faith, family, and country. And so everything we do is to uplift family. It is to portray faith in a respectable and earnest and really authentic way. And then to support and value the country and the military and the things that have made the country great over the years. In Hollywood, faith, family, and country, I can’t think of three words that are more diminished or degraded than those three. If you look at content that’s created, it’s always the dad who is the idiot in the show or the faith is derided in some way. And we are all about uplifting faith, family, and country and freedom. And so all of our content that we create is focused on portraying those elements positively.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, Bill, we’ve got about 20 seconds left. Tell folks where they can find out more about your networks.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, so greatamericanfamily.com is our linear channel on cable, and greatamericanpureflix.com is our streaming service where we are relentlessly faith-focused and on telling stories that are uplifting, positive, and ultimately make you feel good.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, Bill, I want to thank you for standing firm for truth and for what is right. And thanks for joining us today. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. All right, folks, when we return, Ken Blackwell joins us. So don’t go anywhere.
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Everything we do begins as an idea. Before there can be acts of courage, there must be the belief that some things are worth sacrificing for. Before there can be marriage, there is the idea that man should not be alone. Before there was freedom, there was the idea that individuals are created equal. It’s true that all ideas have consequences, but we’re less aware that all consequences are the fruit of ideas. Before there was murder, there was hate. Before there was a Holocaust, there was the belief by some people that other people are undesirable. Our beliefs determine our behavior, and our beliefs about life’s biggest questions determine our worldview. Where did I come from? Who decides what is right and wrong? What happens when I die? Our answers to these questions explain why people see the world so differently. Debates about abortion are really disagreements about where life gets its value. Debates over sexuality and gender and marriage are really disagreements about whether the rules are made by us or for us. What we think of as political debates are often much more than that. They are disagreements about the purpose of our lives and the source of truth. As Christians, our goal must be to think biblically about everything. Our goal is to help you see beyond red and blue, left and right, to see the battle of ideas at the root of it all. Our goal is to equip Christians with a biblical worldview and help them advance and defend the faith in their families, communities, and the public square. Cultural renewal doesn’t begin with campaigns and elections. It begins with individuals turning from lies to truth. but that won’t happen if people can’t recognize a lie and don’t believe truth exists. We want to help you see the spiritual war behind the political war, the truth claims behind the press release, and the forest and the trees.
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This is Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. The Trump administration is sticking to its promise to unleash American energy. The contrast between the previous administration and this one is, quite frankly, nothing short of remarkable. where the other the Biden administration tried to bottle up American energy and make us dependent upon other nations. Well, the Trump administration is doubling down, doing actually more than what they did in the first administration. And this is taking place through multiple executive orders that were signed this month. The president is focusing on freeing up the energy industry and strengthening our electric grid. One of the areas he’s focusing on is coal, clean energy. So how might these presidential actions actually affect you as it affects the economy? Well, here to discuss this, Ken Blackwell, FRC Senior Fellow for Human Rights and Constitutional Governance. And actually, Ken has worked in the coal industry as well. Ken, welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 17 :
Hey, Tony. Good to be with you. What’s up? Are you ready to get started? We’re getting ready to get this economy and this energy apparatus on the move again.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I thought you might be joining with your little coal hat on, with your light on the front of it. But I know you have extensive experience in the coal industry. First off, let’s start with what the president did as it pertains to coal, and then let’s talk about how that’s going to affect energy in this country.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, essentially what the president understands is that we have well over 300 years worth of coal right here within the confines of the United States. We know how to use it and use it in clean and effective ways. What the president understands is that we’ve got to unbottle, unknot the regulatory red tape. We, in fact, have to regain energy dominance, and it will do a couple of things. We want to push the dominance in terms of data and data generation. We have about five new operations coming online, and that’s going to have a real energy demand. What the president understands is that we need to be able to fuel that demand ourselves, and we can do it with our coal and gas supply. And so he’s unlocking the not the red tape that really hinders us. And we’re going to be on the move. We want to create jobs. We’re going to drop the prices of gas at the pump. And you know what? We’re going to be able to drop the cost of food because a lot of what we do in this country in terms of agriculture really is tied into our energy supply.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I don’t think people realize how everything really kind of comes back to energy. I mean, energy is kind of the hub, and everything else is the spokes coming out of that hub. And when you lower that core cost of energy, you’re going to bring down the cost of other things. You’re going to allow for economic expansion. But I want to address something. You talked about how the technology and using coal in a clean way. That’s the first thing the left says. You know, this is a part of that red tape that was put in place by the previous administration was because of their global warming, you know. I mean, they’re just fixated with that, just kind of like the LGBTQ stuff. Right. Talk about the technology that’s out there and how we’ve made so many advancement in cleaning our air and how we can use this coal. And it’s not going to be affecting the environment as they are trying to scare people into thinking.
SPEAKER 17 :
No, by anybody’s standard, and compares to our major nemesis, China, China is the worst violator of any clean energy standards in the world, and the left seems to be ready to capitulate to them. We’ve put in place over the last 30 years the technology that actually helps us keep our air clean, and it helps us to clean the coal as we use it to fuel the economic expansion that the president is looking for. Look, at the end of the day, we are not only the smartest population on the face of the earth when we, in fact, are given incentives. We’re the hardest working population on the face of the earth. And it has not been accidental that we’re the world’s economic leader. And President Trump is making sure that we become more muscular not more puny in the economic sense as we gain dominance once again as the world’s leading independent producer of energy. We don’t just want to, we want to be energy dominant and we have the natural resources and the brain power in this country to do that. And when given a chance and given the incentives, we have a workforce that is just as hardworking as any on the face of the earth.
SPEAKER 05 :
At the end of the last Trump administration, we were actually exporting oil. We were in that position of energy dominant. How long is it going to take, we’ve got less than a minute left, but how long will it take for us to see the engine revving again after these executive orders have been signed and the red tape removed?
SPEAKER 17 :
I think by this time next year, it will be very clear that we’re on the path of energy dominance once again. It’s in our national security interests. It is in Europe’s interests that we, in fact, not push them to a point where they’re dependent on Russian oil and energy sources. This is a comprehensive strategy to get our economy moving, building jobs and building a national security apparatus that’s in the interest of our national safety and our people’s well-being.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Ken Blackwell, we’re going to leave it there. I’ll see you at the pump. Thanks so much for joining us. All right, Tony. All right, folks, stick with us. We’re coming back with more. Some surprising news out of Louisiana. That’s next.
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Are you ready to transform your trials into triumphs? Dive into the book of Daniel with FRC’s new study guide, Daniel, Visions and Valor, perfect for those seeking courage and wisdom from one of the Bible’s most faithful figures. This 13-day journey is ideal for small groups or individual study as part of our ongoing Stand on the Word Bible reading plan. It’s a timeless resource ready to deepen your engagement with Scripture. Explore how Daniel’s life and God-given visions offer a blueprint for navigating challenges. Each day includes Scriptures, reflection questions, and space for notes to enhance your understanding and application. available in digital and physical formats, order your copy of Daniel, Visions and Valor today and start your journey of transformation. To order, text the word DANIEL to 67742. That’s DANIEL to 67742.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 13-part series that equips you with biblical truth to engage in today’s most pressing debates. From the Ten Commandments in classrooms to the immigration crisis of America, we’ll uncover the foundations of our nation’s history and why it’s relevant for today. Defend God’s plan for government because faith and freedom were never meant to be separate. New episodes available each Monday. To view the series on the Stand Firm app, text COURSE to 67742.
SPEAKER 13 :
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 and in all of life follow outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week
SPEAKER 05 :
This is Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins, your host. Thanks so much for joining us. And remember, coming up this Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. I hope you plan on going to church and just celebrating what the Lord has done for us. Speaking of that, we have a new resource available for you. It’s a study guide for the book of Daniel, Visions and Valor. It’s a great resource for anyone as they navigate tough times and face pressures, challenges, and worries. In other words, if you’re breathing, this would help you. Life is filled with challenges. In fact, in our journey through the Bible, our two-year journey for those that are on that journey, we’re going to be in the book of Daniel at the end of the month, so you might want to get a copy of it. Text DANIEL to 67742. That’s DANIEL to 67742, and you can get a copy of the guide. Our word for today comes from Ezekiel 36. So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed in the land for the idols which they had defiled it. I scattered them among the nations and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds, I judged them. But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name and that the people said to them, these are the people of the Lord. And yet they had to go out of his land. See, Israel profaned God’s name, not through spoken words, but through the consequences of their actions. Their disobedience led to judgment, causing observers to question God’s character and his power. Our choices carry similar implications. Consider carefully, do our actions bring glory or dishonor to the Lord? Let our lives consistently reflect His holiness, ensuring His name is honored and not dishonored before a watching world. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. As I mentioned at the top of the program, on Monday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry gave his State of the State Address before a joint session of the legislature. I was grateful to have the opportunity to pray the opening prayer for that session. And among the items the governor highlighted during his speech, and there were many, and I was… Honestly, I was quite impressed as Louisiana has made some improvements, but one that really stuck out was the educational improvement of Louisiana students. According to the most recent national assessment, the scores of Louisiana students have improved more than any other state. Yes, any other state. This says, in fact, most states have actually seen declines. Here with more is Dr. Cade Brumley, the Louisiana State Superintendent of Education. Dr. Brumley, welcome to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, thanks for having me. It’s always an honor to tell the story of Louisiana, and we are writing a new story for the state.
SPEAKER 05 :
It certainly is. I mean, this is great news for Louisiana. I’ll have to say Louisiana doesn’t have a history of climbing up the good list. And it is. Talk about that.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, you know, we’re usually on the top of the bad list and the bottom of the good list. And as a native of Louisiana, this is very personal to me. And so we have a brave agenda. We’re trying to go back to the basics, redesign broken systems, accelerate parental rights, value teachers, and expand educational freedom. We’ve tried to narrow the scope of what we’re doing and reject radical ideologies and focus on the pursuit of academic excellence. And so Louisiana has never rated higher nationally We’re the story in this state. And frankly, I think we’re the story educationally across the country.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I want to get into the, you know, kind of that what I describe as I’ve watched and I’m not clearly not as involved as I was when I was in the legislature back a number of years ago. But I’m still watching with interest because Louisiana is still my home state. And you’ve taken a holistic approach to the student and to education, and I’m going to get into that in a moment. But let’s talk about the numbers. We’ve talked about how Louisiana is doing well. Give us the report card.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, so the nation’s report card comes out every two years. I think it’s really important because it compares state to state. So you can see kind of across the nation, you know, how different places are doing across the country. To put it in perspective, in 2019, Louisiana ranked 49th among the states. We were able to grow a little bit in 2022. And when the results came out in 2024, Louisiana’s ranked 32nd in the country. So our state has never rated that high among the states or ranked that high. But what I think if you look into the details here, Louisiana has led the country in literacy growth on both cycles the last four years of the nation’s report card. Number one in the country. literacy growth and with all the talk about reading math has gotten jealous and so we were able to jump into the top five on math growth so we’re really excited about the work that’s happening you know it’s a testament to the teachers across the state doing really good work and also most recently say what you may about Harvard and Stanford and there’s plenty to say but they did publish a report saying Louisiana is the only state in the country where the average student has exceeded their pre pandemic levels of academic achievement
SPEAKER 05 :
What’s behind it?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, again, we’ve narrowed the focus. For too long, schools have tried to do things that were not in their wheelhouse. They were not ordained to do some of the things that they have been doing. You know, we’re not ordained to be a restaurant, a hospital, certainly not the family. And so we have tried to narrow to let’s teach kids to read, do math, understand and appreciate their country, graduate ready for what’s next in their lives.
SPEAKER 05 :
Not only are those things a distraction from focus, but again, from experience in Louisiana, in the legislature, and even prior to that being a reporter, is that some of these doors like the school clinics and other things become distractions because it’s a door for other agendas to come in, which eventually eclipse the mission to educate. Yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
look we are we are trying to pursue academic excellence and as a native of Louisiana and whenever I speak with my fellow citizens sometimes they’re like wait academic excellence in Louisiana that’s what we’re in the pursuit of and I’m like absolutely that’s what we’re going to pursue every day and so you know I’m so proud to tell the story of our progress but but Tony look we have too many kids that still can’t read a grade level too many kids that can’t do basic math and We have too many kids stuck in schools that are failing them. And so we’re trying to make sure that parents are in the driver’s seat, making the decisions in the best interest of their kids. And we’re trying to expand those those ed freedom options across the board.
SPEAKER 05 :
You’ve had to fight to get here, though, because there was political opposition to some of the changes and proposals that are made. But I mean, look, like they say, the proof is in the pudding.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, we’re proud of the results. But, you know, we have had to fight over the last four years specifically against the Biden administration for some of the approaches that they’ve taken around trying to limit school choice, trying to rewrite Title IX, a number of different options such as that. But I believe Louisiana. will show that we’ve been on the right side of history. And all while fighting against some of those ideologies, we’ve pursued academic excellence. And so we haven’t been distracted. We’ve kept the main thing, the main thing, which is kid academic outcomes. And I believe it shows in the data.
SPEAKER 05 :
Having held that position, having worked on this, and I know there’s opposition from D.C., and although that may be going away with the Department of Education being defanged, but there’s still, look, one of the strongest lobbies I encountered when I was in the legislature in Louisiana was the education lobby. It has a huge… it’s a huge industry that has a lot of interest, and it’s not always the kid in the classroom that is at the priority. You ruffled some feathers with that. And moving forward, you stayed focused. Are you through the most turbulent of times?
SPEAKER 07 :
Do you think you have everybody on board pulling together? Look, we have fought the establishment. We wanted to set higher expectations for kids. We wanted to expand school choice options. These are things that aren’t popular with the education establishment. And so they have fought us the entire way. And so I’m really thankful that we have a governor now that’s prioritizing education. We have a state legislature doing that. Whose mother was a teacher. A teacher and a coach.
SPEAKER 05 :
So she, you know, he understands, you know, from firsthand experience, the dedication of teachers who want to teach their They don’t want to do all this other stuff. They want to teach. They don’t want to be a social worker. They want to be a teacher. They don’t want to have to just teach for a test. They want to teach children to learn.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think it’s some of the most important work that we have done is our Let Teachers Teach initiative. Our Let Teachers Teach initiative is about reducing bureaucracy, removing excessive training, making sure that teachers can teach free from student behavioral distractions, and so other students can learn. That’s part of valuing the teacher. And we’ve reduced teaching vacancies by over 50% as a result of that.
SPEAKER 05 :
I was going to ask you that question next. I know these results are early, although improvement has been coming over the last couple of years. I would think that we’re going to see many more young people going into the teaching profession because they’ll be able to do just that.
SPEAKER 07 :
They’ll be able to teach. If you talk with teachers, they will tell you, yes, pay is important, but they want to work with someone that they respect. They want a place where their voices can be heard and they can get better at their job. They don’t want to teach with distractions in the classroom. And so we’re trying to provide those things. And the goal is that we’ll have teachers telling students in K-12 schools, hey, you should consider a career as a teacher. And they’re not saying that enough now.
SPEAKER 05 :
Dr. Brumley, I want to talk about something that in many educational circles is considered heresy. But when we take a holistic approach to the education of children, The parents are really the driver. They have the most at stake in most cases. But unfortunately, we tend to set our policies for the lowest common denominator as opposed to what most parents want. They want their kids to succeed. They want them to have a good education. Maybe that’s in a charter school. Maybe that’s in a public school. Maybe that’s in a private school. Maybe that’s homeschool. Shouldn’t that be a parent’s choice?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, one of our priorities is the educational freedom piece, and I don’t have a preference whether it’s a traditional public school, a public charter, a non-public school, or protecting the independence of our homeschool families. I just want kids to get a great education, and I think the best people in order to make those decisions are the kids’ parents. You know, sometimes bureaucrats think that the kids belong to the government, and they don’t. They belong to their parents. And so the parents need to be making those decisions, and that’s why we’re trying to, as much as possible, accelerate parental rights.
SPEAKER 05 :
And doesn’t that throw open the door of competition when you have all of these options out there where, you know, every kid’s different. They learn differently. But at the end of the day, the entire state benefits because…
SPEAKER 07 :
kids begin to rise well yeah i mean if you take a market-based approach it will work you know and i think that that’s what we’re beginning to see and that’s why i continue tony to tell people if we can just focus on the things that are most important teach kids to read to do math to understand love their country graduate ready for what’s next expand parental rights our results will continue to grow because we are focused on that pursuit of academic excellence
SPEAKER 05 :
Now, last year, Louisiana made nationwide news with the Ten Commandments in the classroom. The governor is not backing away from that at all. He talked about that this week, talked about it in the State of the State address. He talked about it at the prayer breakfast. How does that stand?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, look, I am the named defendant in that case. People don’t realize that that case actually holds my name. So I’m somewhat limited on what I can say other than I feel confident that we are in a good position to defend that. Certainly the Ten Commandments are good laws to live by and govern one’s life. Our legislature overwhelmingly passed that and I was there when Governor Landry enthusiastically signed it. So we feel like we’re in a really good legal position and at the end of the day, you know, those are just good laws to live by and govern one’s life.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well that’s again going back to that holistic approach of addressing the heart, mind and soul of our students and creating a safe environment where they can learn. What do you have on tap? I know this year in Louisiana, it’s a fiscal only session to kind of limit some of the other bills that come in. What are you planning to do next in terms of continuing this? I mean, number 32 in the rankings. It’s pretty impressive. Louisiana has never been there before. What’s your goal for the state?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I was most recently I was able to write a piece about how I feel like students not understanding our country’s history and civics is a national security risk. So we just put in policy a position where students will take a civics test before graduating high school. Those students who master that content, they’ll earn a freedom seal on their high school diploma, which is a gold embossed seal. for their diploma they’ll be eligible to walk at graduation with a red white and blue honor cord and so that’s part of elevating civics education in our state using primary source documents which i think is really important so that’s that’s something that that we’re really focusing on right now as well and other than that defending the reforms that we have put in place over the last year against the establishment that will continue to try to tackle them
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, one of the bills I did successfully pass back in the legislature was the American History Preservation Act, which those documents that you talk about, those original source documents, keep them from being censored. No one can take them off the walls of the classroom or take them out of the textbooks. It’s a new day, not just in Louisiana, but other states are following suit. I’ve talked to many of your colleagues in their roles in the various states. It almost appears that we’re at a place of a return to common sense, to the basics, because we’ve tried everything else and it just hasn’t worked.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and I think there are a group of us across the country working to lead that movement, and we have good support here in the state of Louisiana and across the country to return to just common sense, understanding that parents need to be in charge, schools do not need to be for indoctrination, they need to be for education, and we’re pursuing those interests.
SPEAKER 05 :
We just have about a minute and a half left, Dr. Brumley. I do this with a lot of my guests, so I’m not singling you out. But I do appreciate the role that you play and the fact that you’ve not backed away from the fact that you’re a man of faith. You love the Lord Jesus Christ, and you’ve been called to this. How can our viewers and listeners be praying for you?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think for what I consistently share is that people will see Christ in me. And I fail too much at that. But that’s my hope every day. I think right now with the Easter season upon us, it’s a time for hope and optimism. And if someone needs to start over and refresh, it’s a great time to do that. And so I always covet prayers. And to the extent that anyone can pray, I greatly appreciate that. Can I pray for you right now as we close?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yes, sir. Thank you much. Lord, we thank you for this time that we’re gathered here. I thank you for Kate. I pray your hand of blessing upon him. And, Lord, honor his request. And I would throw myself in there and the rest of us, Lord, that are in leadership positions, that we would honor you by the way we conduct ourselves, that we would point others to you. And we do pray for this resurrection weekend that those who need a new start would find it in Christ. And we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen. Kate, I want to thank you for joining us. Thanks for having me. And keep up the good work, and I trust that you’re going to set an example for others to follow in states across the country.
SPEAKER 07 :
It’s an honor to do the work.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right. And folks, I want to thank you for joining us as well and pray for all of our children in the public schools and the private schools. Pray that they would have godly examples to follow. Until next time, I leave you with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, where he says, you’ve done everything you can do when you’ve prayed, prepared, and taken your stand.
SPEAKER 15 :
By all means, keep standing. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins. is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family, and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
