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We also honor National Police Week, taking a closer look at the state of law enforcement in America today during a special segment with Jason Johnson. Discussions with key figures provide unique insights into the dynamics of community policing and recruitment as officers gather in Washington D.C. to remember their fallen colleagues. Additionally, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s testimony stirs debate over the controversial abortion drug Mifeprestone, with expert Mary Salk offering analysis. Join us for a comprehensive examination of these pressing issues, from Capitol Hill to global diplomacy.
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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.
SPEAKER 03 :
I want them to succeed. I want them to end up being a great country. frankly, but they can’t have a nuclear weapon. That’s the only thing. It’s very simple. It’s not like I have to give you 30 pages worth of details. There’s only one sentence. They can’t have a nuclear weapon. And I think we’re getting close to it.
SPEAKER 07 :
That was President Donald Trump earlier today speaking about Iran during his Middle East trip. Welcome to this May 15th edition of Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins. Thanks for tuning in. Also today on Capitol Hill, Republicans are inching closer to an agreement on the reconciliation bill.
SPEAKER 18 :
We’ve been working for this moment for over the last two years. And, of course, yesterday we started this bill markup. It lasted over 17 and a half hours. In fact, my ranking member said this is the longest amount of time he’s ever spent in the Ways and Means Committee room in his 30-plus years in office.
SPEAKER 07 :
That was House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith. We’ll hear more about the negotiations from Ohio Congressman Warren Davidson. Well, this week marks the National Police Week, which culminated in Peace Officers Memorial Day.
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Greater love hath no man than this that lay down his life for his friends. And let every act of remembrance today be a testament to the strength and the duty and the honor these fallen heroes lived by, the example and the model they set for all the rest of us. We pray and ask and believe all these things in your holy name. Amen.
SPEAKER 07 :
That was House Speaker Mike Johnson offering a prayer at last night’s candlelight vigil honoring the fallen officers. We’ll talk with Jason Johnson, president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund and former deputy commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department.
SPEAKER 17 :
It’s alarming and clearly it indicates that at very least the label should be changed. I’ve asked Marty McCary, who’s the director of FDA, to do a complete review and to report back.
SPEAKER 07 :
That was Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifying before the Senate Health Committee yesterday in response to questions about the abortion drug Mifeprestone. How dangerous is it and why is it still so widely available? We’ll unpack the issue with Mary Salk, director of the Center for Human Dignity here at the Family Research Council. And finally, as Congress wraps up the week, FRC’s Kena Gonzalez and Suzanne Bowdy will join me in the studio for a rundown on the key developments on Capitol Hill from this week. All of that and more coming up on this edition of Washington Watch. Let me encourage you to download the Stand Firm app, where you can have access to Washington Watch, to the Stand Firm. On the Stand Firm app, you can also have access to our Washington Stand feed. It’s our news and commentary, all from a biblical perspective. All right, President Trump’s Middle East trip has produced yet another major deal, this time an economic agreement with Qatar valued at an estimated $1.2 trillion. The deal includes a joint declaration of cooperation, signaling increased American investment and deeper involvement in the region. But the question remains, how does this align with U.S. national security interests, especially considering Qatar’s well-documented history of supporting entities linked to terrorism? some of which have targeted the United States. Joining me now to discuss this, Congressman Warren Davidson, a former Army Ranger who serves on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Financial Services Committee. He represents Ohio’s 8th Congressional District. Congressman Davidson, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s always an honor to join you, Tony. Thank you.
SPEAKER 07 :
So let’s let’s I mean, where the president’s been over the Middle East all week. He’s inked a number of deals or at least the the precursor to these deals. What do you make of President Trump’s deal with Qatar?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I think when he was in Saudi Arabia, he laid out really the premise is commerce versus chaos. And he had a really strong rebuke of the kind of neoconservative interventionism, nation building efforts. And I think it was an incredibly good speech. And then he’s been doing that on the rest of his tour. So going to Qatar and laying out a future that promises a long, not just one deal, but a long relationship between I think sets a great tone for a vision of mutual trade and respect for differences. My hope is that we keep pushing some of the values like religious freedom and, frankly, safety for people that disagree in some of these places. Qatar’s been a better place than, say, Syria. And so it was kind of shocking to see him embrace Syria’s new president and leader in given his past as a terrorist leader and including various names going back to the al-Nusra Front. A guy who spent his life as a terrorist is now the leader of Syria. Hopefully this path offers a peaceful future, not just for the United States and Syria, but for the people there.
SPEAKER 07 :
I think you bring up some really important points when we talk about religious freedom, because there is an abundance of research that shows us that nations that embrace religious freedom also provide a foundation for other freedoms, economic prosperity and growth, and even security. When we look at this region of the world, especially Saudi Arabia where the president started his trip, there’s not a single church. The only thing allowed there is Islam. I mean, what’s it going to take to see that as a part of the conversation? Because apparently the president did not bring those topics up during his visit.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I’m not sure that the president is going to lead with those things in his administration, frankly. And I think that, look, there’s a balance to be struck here. We don’t want to impose our views and values on others. It is a theocratic kingdom, so they certainly aren’t touting themselves as some sort of democratic republic that some other places are. Saudi Arabia maybe has a different a different role because they have a clearly different government. But in Syria, where you do have a long presence of diverse populations, minority people groups, and people that have been Christians since there’s been Christians, you want to really make sure you protect them. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia, while they may have had Christians at one point, They’re very deep underground. If they’re still alive, they’re being pretty quiet about it. And so you want to see a future that is tolerant of differences of religious faiths and views.
SPEAKER 07 :
You know, I agree with the president. You know, we want to have commerce rather than chaos. And, you know, engaging people in economic activity, I think, is extremely important. But I think we have to go into it with our eyes wide open. We go back 30 years, and there was discussions about China, most favored nation status for China, and that economic activity with that country would change them. But 30 years later, we see that that economic activity, opening those markets, doing business with them, I would argue has changed actually American companies more than it’s changed China.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I mean, it clearly changed China, but it definitely has changed America as well. And, you know, the theory has always been, you know, people that do business together don’t go to war. Well, I mean, you know, Germany’s largest trading partner at the start of World War II was France. So this certainly is an undefeated kind of country. relationship here. It’s a theory of international relations. And we shouldn’t necessarily put total credence in it. But I tell you what President Trump is on onto here is endless wars haven’t made us more free and they haven’t made us more safe. They have made us more burdened by debt, and they’ve made us less respected around the world. So it’s really, China has been the big beneficiary of all this interventionism that we’ve done since the end of the Cold War. So we really haven’t had a very focused foreign policy. And I think Donald Trump’s right to center us on America first, America’s resources should advance America’s interests. and that’s what he’s over there doing he’s doing things with saudi arabia and gutter that you know promote peace but also promote america’s interests and you know if you can do that without fighting and waging wars i think you’re over the target i i definitely agree with that and i think
SPEAKER 07 :
we have proven that the nation building that was attempted really by the Bush administration was a failed approach, not much different than the great society thinking that we just change the environment and spend enough money, we’ll change people. And it just doesn’t work that way. I want to move on to really kind of the big domestic issue, and that is the reconciliation. It appears that We’re inching a little bit closer to an agreement among Republicans that will advance, you know, what has been called the president’s one big, beautiful bill. All right. As the Congress wraps up for this week with just one week to go before Memorial Day, the self-imposed deadline, where do we stand?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it will be marketed and sold as one big, beautiful bill that cuts $1.6 trillion in spending. But it’s a little bit of a land of illusion here. The Congress we can control is the one we’re in. And then the one we’re in right now, unless they modify it further, it spends more money, not less. So, you know, it’d be nice to see a bill that at least while we’re in control spends less money because we can’t even control who’s going to be in a future Congress, let alone whether they’re going to follow through with this plan that supposedly binds them to spend less. We know that Congress is really good at ignoring previous Congresses. So those often turn out to be hollow promises. The tax code implications are pretty good. There’s some big concerns there for some things that don’t expire very quickly. I mean, they didn’t phase in the Inflation Reduction Act. They were boasting of shoving it out the door like bricks of gold off the Titanic. when they implemented the Green New Deal and called it the Inflation Reduction Act. As we phase out these tax credits, people aren’t very anxious to phase them out. They want to start doing it in 2029. Same with work requirements. I mean, most people want to, they would help a friend or family member in need, but at some point you would say, well, you’re going to get a job, right? Now, we don’t really start saying that for several years. So we’re kind of slow to implement the cuts. So that’s a big concern. We’ll see whether we have the votes.
SPEAKER 07 :
Now, when you talk about we’re talking about these things, these are Republicans negotiating with themselves on this. And this is one of the liabilities, if you will, of being in the majority with a majority that’s made up of members from blue states who tend to be a little hesitant to approach a more conservative approach to government. But there’s a demand by Republican voters to see substantive change. And if we can’t do it now, when will that happen?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, it’s kind of both ends. I mean, the moderates that don’t want to cut anything are part of the problem. But then you’re looking at my reluctance is, well, look, you’ve got to get the cuts like now, not some empty promise in the future. There are some people that definitely aren’t going to vote for it unless they see faster cuts. And then on the other hand, you’ve got folks like Josh Hawley out there. We can’t cut Medicaid. We have working poor. Well, work requirements, by definition, don’t affect the working poor. They’re working. So, you know, it’s kind of taken the bait that the Democrats are out there messaging that somehow the working poor are going to be affected by this bill. Nothing’s getting cut for them. Nothing’s getting cut for disabled kids or senior citizens. What it does is it expects an able-bodied adult with no dependent kids at home to eventually start looking for work. And frankly, it doesn’t get around to that for years.
SPEAKER 07 :
Just to be clear, a lot of those Republicans that are defending some of these Medicaid provisions, these are provisions that were put in place during the Biden administration, the expansion that took place. So, I mean, we’re just trying to dial it back before the major expansion that took place during the Biden years.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I mean, Obamacare, Biden years, the match is very generous for that expansion, which is often able-bodied adults. And it is fueling the bankruptcy of our country. If you look at the burn rate on health care, just like in your household, that’s one of the big expenses that’s hard to manage. Same for the federal government. It’s out of control. And I’d rather see us do things that get it under control. And that’s where I think the president’s effort on prescription drugs should be well received.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right. Congressman Warren Davidson, we have to leave it there. Always great to see you. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thanks, Tony. God bless you and all your listeners and viewers.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you. All right. Coming up, Law Enforcement Day. Don’t go away.
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In a time when Washington seems clouded by compromise, a bold group of lawmakers are standing firm in defense of the values which our nation was built upon. At FRC Actions 100% Awards, 171 members of Congress were honored for voting 100% in line with policies that promote faith, family, and freedom.
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Faith and family made our country, it’s the foundation that made our country not only great, but good.
SPEAKER 06 :
The values that make America, faith, family, hard work, personal responsibility, I mean, that to me is the heart of FRC and grateful for everything that they do.
SPEAKER 23 :
It’s very important for us to have organizations such as FRC. First of all, I think it keeps us grounded, in addition to which the issues that you champion are issues that we should all be championing.
SPEAKER 20 :
FRC is very, very good at honing in on those things that really affect Christians’ lives. Also, working with members of Congress, too, to make sure that those values are instilled in the legislation that we create.
SPEAKER 09 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
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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 22 :
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.
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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.
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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.
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Pre-order today at embracethedesign.com. 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 07 :
All right, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Better yet, get the Stand Firm app. You can get it at the App Store, Stand Firm. This week is National Police Week, and today is Peace Officers Memorial Day, a time to remember those officers who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving the public. Joining me now is Jason Johnson, the president of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund and the former deputy commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department. Jason, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us. Now, I think it’s pretty straightforward, but explain to our viewers and listeners the purpose of this week focused on law enforcement and this day that recognizes those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
SPEAKER 05 :
Police Week and the recognition of policing traces its roots back to 1962, which was the very first Police Week by proclamation of then President John F. Kennedy. And since then, once a year in May, law enforcement officers from around the country and, in fact, from around the world gather in Washington, D.C. with the main purpose of recognizing the service and sacrifice in particular of those who have given their lives and service to their communities as law enforcement officers. But it also has a deeper meaning as well in that it’s an opportunity for officers to gather and share fellowship and camaraderie and sort of be as one for one time per year.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, you can’t walk down the street without bumping into a police officer from some particular state or county. So it’s been, it’s always kind of neat to see the guys coming from different places. You know, last time I think we were having a conversation, it was even, I think it was during the middle of the defund the police effort. Things have changed quite a bit. What’s your sense of how law enforcement and the community or the communities across the country are interacting now?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I think there’s been a slow and steady improvement in that regard. And when I say that, I really believe firmly, Tony, and I think you do as well, that the problem really never has been the relationship of law enforcement and the community on the ground and where it matters most. The problem has been in recent years more of the sort of the perception that has been peddled about law enforcement officers in certain areas. parts of the media and by certain politicians and other public officials that have promoted the idea that law enforcement is either unnecessary or actually harmful to communities. And I don’t think that’s ever been the case. But the further away from 2020 we get, I think the better place we are as a profession.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I think that’s a very important point. It’s not the public. It was the politicians. I’ve even seen that in my hometown of Baton Rouge recently electing a new mayor, a Republican mayor. And we’ve already seen an impact on the crime statistics in that, you know, and I think we’re seeing this across the country. You know, when we had this opposition to law enforcement and there was this lawlessness breaking out because of a political ideology, crime was on the uptick. And it looks like now this increased policing is bringing a lower rate of homicides to some of the major cities in the United States.
SPEAKER 05 :
That’s absolutely a fact. In fact, my organization, the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, I recently published a study of exactly that. And what we looked at in particular was the effect at and after 2020, the Ferguson effect, if you will, depolicing. What is the impact when law enforcement officers are essentially intimidated away from engaging in proactive enforcement? We saw a drop of about 40 percent overall. in the 15 cities that we looked at, of proactive enforcement as measured by arrests and stops. And at the same time, we saw an increase of 54% in homicides. So there really is a link between the two. And the reason we know that is not only what I just said, But in the years since, the business of policing has returned. And we’ve seen an increase at about 37% in those measures of policing proactivity. And we’ve seen a resulting decrease in homicides overall at about 32%. And some cities much better than that. And other cities are a little more flat.
SPEAKER 07 :
Jason, let me ask you this question. I mean, I stay connected with the law enforcement community, but more locally than I do nationally. I still see that there’s some residual to the hostility that we saw from the political class toward law enforcement and that there’s still a deficit of police officers, many departments still struggling to bring their manpower up to where it needs to be because some people are just rethinking law enforcement as a career.
SPEAKER 05 :
I think that’s the biggest leftover. I think most people in law enforcement, I’m sure you probably have gathered this from speaking to your friends and former colleagues in law enforcement, that the feelings are getting better, but you’re right, the biggest vestige of what we saw between the mid-2010s and particularly after 2020 is the lack of interest in young people entering the law enforcement profession, which, of course, we believe is just a byproduct of all the negative messages that are out there about the profession of law enforcement. That’s really the biggest thing I think that we still need to overcome. We need to rebuild the morale within law enforcement. We also need to hold law enforcement up as a calling, as a noble profession that it is.
SPEAKER 07 :
I agree. I actually have two adult children that are in law enforcement, and they see it as a calling and a way to help, to serve, and protect the community. And, you know, I know in their departments they have manpower issues, but as we rebuild that understanding, that’s why I appreciate what you do, and I think weeks like this where we have Police Week broadcast, focusing on the essential nature of law enforcement and the good men and women who are drawn to it and the sacrifices that they made, it will draw others into that profession.
SPEAKER 05 :
Agreed. And that’s as good a reason to have Police Week as any is to really show the community, the public that law enforcement serves, that law enforcement, in fact, is a noble profession that still upholds the ideals that I think we hold sacred and honesty, integrity, service to the community and all of that stuff that I think is really important. what has drawn so many people over the decades to this profession. And hopefully we’ll return to that very soon.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely. Jason, always great to talk to you. Thanks so much for taking time to join us today. Anytime. Thanks, Tony. And folks, let me encourage you, if you have an opportunity to encounter a police officer, hopefully it’s not because you were speeding or something, but if you do, just thank them for the sacrifices that they and their colleagues make. All right, don’t go away. We’re coming back with more Washington Watch after this.
SPEAKER 13 :
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.
SPEAKER 13 :
Redesignating Nigeria will enable the U.S. government to pressure Nigerian leaders to protect vulnerable Christians.
SPEAKER 07 :
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.
SPEAKER 07 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. Well, in a Senate Health Committee hearing yesterday, HH Secretary Robert Kennedy assured senators that he has ordered a complete review of the chemical abortion drug Mifeprestone. This was ordered after the discovery of alarming data which reveals the drug’s potential to incur serious adverse effects is higher than previously reported. Now, this is certainly a step in the right direction as we fight to… protect unborn life and to support and defend the right of states to protect women and unborn babies. But the question is, how did this mail order abortion drug become so prominent despite the uncertainties surrounding it. Well, here to discuss this, Mary Socks, Director of the Center for Human Dignity here at the Family Research Council. She is also the author of a new publication from FRC entitled Mifeprestone and the Comstock Act. Mary, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 19 :
It’s an honor to be here, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, let me first start with this. Let me get your response to RFK Jr.’ ‘s pledge yesterday to re-look at Mifeprestone.
SPEAKER 19 :
I was thrilled with that pledge. Mifeprestone was approved in a politically motivated approval. It has never been thoroughly tested, and we have seen the damage that it has done to countless women and the number of unborn children’s lives it has taken. And for the Trump administration to adequately govern and protect the citizens of America, especially women and the unborn, they do need to revisit this and hopefully revoke its approval.
SPEAKER 07 :
Now, he said in his testimony yesterday that this is ultimately up to the White House. The White House would make this decision on it. But that and he was pressed on this by Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. Would he make a recommendation based upon the research, based upon the facts? And, you know, there’s a recent report that was out is that. very clear that this has significant side effects and risk for women.
SPEAKER 19 :
It absolutely does. We know that the recent data shows that almost one in 11 women have a serious adverse event like hemorrhaging, like the need for a blood transfusion, sepsis, the need for a surgical abortion following the use of mifepristone to remove whatever was left in their uterus. We know that this drug is dangerous for women. And if we’re actually following science, America will acknowledge that.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, Mary, so you talk about this in your publication, which, folks, you can get. Go to TonyPerkins.com, and it’s there as one of the resources under today’s program. But this was politically motivated in its approval. This was through the Biden administration, and there are really two aspects of this. One, to drop the in-person interaction between a medical personnel and the woman this that this would be prescribed to. And then secondly, to facilitate that was the government’s failure to enforce the Comstock Act. Explain that.
SPEAKER 19 :
Well, under the Biden administration, they used the covid health crisis as as a means for removing that in-person dispensing requirement for Mifepristone. That in-person dispensing requirement left allowed for some modicum of safety measures for women receiving this drug. It allowed for the the. abortionists to determine what the gestational age of this woman was, to determine if she was reporting signs of ectopic pregnancy. It didn’t actually allow them to rule out an ectopic pregnancy, because that can only be done through the use of ultrasound, but it did allow them to find out if there were symptoms of it. And it allowed them to interact in a face-to-face way in the event that there were any complications while using the drug. But the Biden administration removed that requirement and simultaneously issued a Department of Justice opinion stating that this drug could actually be sent through the mail And that it could be done so legally, which is a clear violation of the Comstock Act, which says you cannot mail anything that is going to be used for an abortion. The Biden DOJ said that as long as the sender didn’t know that it was intended to be used for an illegal abortion, it would be OK to send this through the mail. And this is something the Trump administration must reverse. That opinion has to be overturned.
SPEAKER 07 :
So, I mean, there’s a real simple solution here. I mean, there’s two aspects to this. One, if the FDA were to go back to the previous protocol that would require in-person dispensing, Because there are some serious consequences if a woman is further along in her pregnancy than she might know or might report and take the abortion pill. If they go back to the previous, I said, in-person dispensing, that would eliminate this issue. Secondly, as you pointed out, simply enforcing the Comstock would prevent abortions like in New York, mailing abortion pills into like my home state of Louisiana that has very strong pro-life laws, which is it’s not theoretical. That’s actually happened.
SPEAKER 19 :
Right, and we know that at 10 weeks gestation, mifepristone has a 7.3% failure rate to complete an abortion. That means that there are retained fetal parts in there. There’s maybe part of the placenta. Who knows what else? Just recently, as you alluded to, Tony, in Louisiana, an abortionist from New York mailed abortion drugs to a woman who was 20 weeks pregnant. If the failure rate at 10 weeks is 7.3%, I can’t imagine the danger that woman’s life was in at 20 weeks.
SPEAKER 07 :
Wow.
SPEAKER 19 :
Not to mention the tragedy of the death of that unborn child.
SPEAKER 07 :
And it could be solved immediately if the Trump administration goes back to the policies that were in place prior to the Biden administration. Mary, thanks so much for joining us. Always great to see you.
SPEAKER 19 :
Thanks so much for having me on.
SPEAKER 07 :
And folks, I’m going to have more information coming about this, but we’re going to make this a matter of prayer. Mark your calendar, June 24th. We’re going to have a day of prayer and fasting. So I’ll have more about that. Don’t go away. We’re back after this.
SPEAKER 02 :
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.
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What is God’s role in government? What does the separation of church and state really mean? And how does morality shape a nation? President John Adams said our Constitution was made only for moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Join Family Research Council for God and Government, a powerful 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. will 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 21 :
How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 07 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. All right. Again, to take action on some of the things we’re going to be talking about that we’ve already talked about, text Congress to 67742. That’s Congress to 67742. You’ll get a link to be able to weigh in on funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood and the federal funds, your tax dollars going for gender transition procedures. All right. So text Congress to 67742. OUR WORD FOR TODAY COMES FROM ZACHARIAH CHAPTER 1. DO NOT BE LIKE YOUR FATHERS, TO WHOM THE FORMER PROPHETS CRIED OUT. THUS SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, RETURN FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS AND FROM YOUR EVIL DEEDS. BUT THEY DID NOT HEAR OR PAY ATTENTION TO ME, DECLARES THE LORD. YOUR FATHERS, WHERE ARE THEY? AND THE PROPHETS, DO THEY LIVE FOREVER? BUT MY WORDS AND MY STATUTES WHICH I COMMANDED MY SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS, DID THEY NOT OVERTAKE YOUR FATHERS? Where are your fathers? It’s a sobering question. In essence, God is saying, didn’t my word eventually catch up with them? Everything I said would happen, did. We live in a time when people urge us to move with the culture. If you don’t change your stance on abortion, same-sex marriage, or transgenderism, they warn you’ll be on the wrong side of history. I’ve heard that more times than I can count, and my answer is always the same. I do not think I’m on the wrong side of history because guess what? The truth never changes. Culture may shift, but history tells us it’s God’s word that endures. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. All right. It has been another busy week on Capitol Hill filled with all nighters and heated debates. A large chunk of Congress’s time has been spent on, yes, the one big, beautiful bill. And in fact, as Congress, most of Congress heads out of town, the House Budget Committee stays put to continue working on that one big, beautiful bill. Join me now to recap. This week is our panel of FRC experts, Kena Gonzalez, FRC Senior Director of Government Affairs, and Suzanne Bowdy, Editorial Director and Senior Writer at the Washington Stand. Kena, Suzanne, thanks for joining me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thanks, Tony.
SPEAKER 14 :
Great to be with you.
SPEAKER 07 :
Okay, Kena, let’s start with you. Yesterday morning, the House Ways and Means Committee passed President Trump’s tax provisions by a 26 to 19 party line vote. What were some of the pro-family provisions that passed in that? Because there was actually some pretty good stuff there.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, there was some exciting stuff here, kind of lost in the weeds. There’s been a lot of drama on Capitol Hill, but here at FRC, we want to highlight what impacts families. The child tax credit, which FRC has long advocated for doubling and pegging to inflation, came pretty close. And that’s exciting to see in this bill passing out of committee and headed to the House floor soon. The current… The current child tax credit is $2,000, depending on the age of the child and the income bracket of the family applying. That goes to $2,500 for the next four years, four tax years, to make up for some of the inflation that families have been experiencing. And then it reverts to $2,000, which it has been. It had been set to go back down to $1,000. But that $2,000, again, is permanent, and it is pegged to inflation. So that’s great news for families. Another piece that is hidden away in the bill and hasn’t gotten a lot of reporting is making the adoption tax credit more accessible to more families. Now families who adopt a child and incur qualified expenses can deduct up to almost $17,000 from their income taxes. And again, that’s pegged to inflation. So we don’t have to have this debate every five or 10 years or two years after a Democrat is in power apparently. So that’s also great news. Also, to help lower-income families who are adopting children, part of that is now made refundable, which means that even if your tax burden does not reach $17,000, you can deduct up to $5,000. So really great news for families tucked away in this tax bill.
SPEAKER 07 :
That’s good. It shows that pro-family policy exists. in dollars. Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also. All right, let’s turn to some other news. Suzanne, I want to bring you in on this. It wasn’t a record, but it sure was long. 26 hours of debate in the Energy and Commerce Committee. They passed a bill that would find hundreds of billions of dollars in savings to taxpayers by reforming Medicaid and Medicare. Now, that’s been kind of politically tricky. What’s in the bill?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, that overnighter that you’re talking about was actually really fascinating. You saw how the members coped. Some had energy drinks. Dan Crenshaw brought a turntable to the floor. So in the midst of all these heavy issues, there were some really fun things that people witnessed. Some of the members fell asleep and were called out by their colleagues. There are some viral videos. But yes, in the process of all of that, there were some very important things made and reforms made in the Medicaid portion of the bill. One of those, which we’ve talked about a lot, is the addition of a work requirement. Now, the work requirement for Medicaid would apply to those who are 19 to 64 years of age who are able to work. In other words, these are people who shouldn’t be just sitting on the couch. They’re actually healthy. They can work and should work as a requirement to get this coverage. That alone is going to save a lot of money. They’ve also made some other changes in terms of how the states manage Medicaid, sort of returning some of the power to the states, which will be great. If you’re a red state, that means you can try and cut some more costs. There will maybe even be some cost sharing involved in that. Some of the Republicans raised the idea of perhaps introducing a copay for these. And I’m talking about the expanded pool of Medicaid funds. to actually, you know, bring them in line with normal healthcare coverage. You know, an average American is paying a copay every time they go to see the doctor, so this would apply to those. But also, one of the biggest things is that they’ve actually culled the pool of people getting Medicaid. Now, these are people that were put on the rolls under Obama, under COVID. who are able-bodied, who never would have been eligible under the original requirements of Medicaid. They’ve pared back that number. So about 8 million people may find that they now have to pay for health insurance. The Democrats like to say they’re being kicked out of their health care. But as Kena would say, no, it’s not that they can’t get health care. It’s just that they have to start paying for it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, and these are people that were brought on that able bodied people who can work, who were brought on during the Biden administration with these expansions as the government, the federal government was enticing states to expand their Medicaid with a nine-to-one match, which is quite significant. And so this is providing the cost savings to the cuts and able to do other things, plus shore up the Medicaid system. Now, abortion funding and organizations like Planned Parenthood. Kena, where’s that stand?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, one of the things that FRC has been talking to folks on the Hill really for months, really since the end of last year, about one of our top priorities has been defunding big abortion. Americans are divided on the issue of abortion, but we’re not really that divided on the issue of whether we should all be paying for other people’s abortions. And there are very large providers who bill hundreds of millions of dollars a year to Medicaid and who also perform abortions. The big name that comes to mind is Planned Parenthood, but there are others, believe it or not. And so what this bill does, that the committee passed out of Energy and Commerce yesterday afternoon, would defund any organization that bills at that very high level and is performing abortions. We want to make sure that not only the abortions themselves, but the organizations whose business it really is is to do abortion. The big abortion industry is defunded and is no longer receiving your taxpayer dollars or mine.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, Kane, Planned Parenthood, as the abortion industry has changed somewhat, although they did over 400,000 abortions last year, raked in almost $800 million in taxpayer dollars. But they’ve also been chasing money through the gender… transgender medical hormone treatments and such. Where does that stand in the bill in terms of taxpayers having to fund gender transition procedures?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, give Planned Parenthood credit where credit is due. They know how to get taxpayer money, don’t they? They’ve gone more and more to chemical abortion as surgical abortion has become more expensive and harder to do in pro-life states. But now they are dipping directly into this new pool of if they can’t take the lives of the unborn after they’re born, they’re happy to transition them. as minors and as adults. And there have been reports, Tony, just in the last couple of weeks, undercover video and surveillance showing that Planned Parenthood is willing to give these out on the first visit, start hormone treatment on the first visit without certifying that a child has really seen a psychologist or worked through the issues. The goal here is to defund all gender transition procedures across the board. Taxpayers should not be paying for medical experimentation, whether that’s chemical or surgical, on anyone. The bill that came out of the Energy and Commerce Committee does a lot of that. Big portions of the bill that address this issue focused only on defunding gender transition procedures that are performed on minors. But of course, a gender transition procedure is experimental and medicalizes someone for life and leads to sterilization and sickness, lifelong sickness, both for children and for adults. And that’s not something that taxpayers should be paying for.
SPEAKER 07 :
Okay, so what do folks need to do?
SPEAKER 14 :
We need to weigh in. We need to thank Congress for beginning the process, right? We’re still at the beginning of the first quarter here. This has many more plays to play out. We need to thank them for defunding big abortion providers like Planned Parenthood for the next 10 years in this bill. That’s terrific news. But we also need to weigh in and tell them, Thank you for defunding some gender transition procedures. We need to defund all gender transition procedures. If people want to do that on their own dime or do that with private insurance, it’s one thing. But when you’re spending my money as a taxpayer and they can go to they can text Congress to six seven seven four two, as you said, or go to Tony Perkins dot com and find a link directly to a form where they can they can register this with their members of Congress.
SPEAKER 07 :
And folks, this takes you to a to a link in which we will connect you by your zip code with your member of Congress. So you can go right to them. You can communicate with them. As I’ve said many times, our republic, it was made for participants, not spectators. So text Congress to six, seven, seven, four, two and tell them you don’t want to be funding these transgender trends, these gender transition procedures and abortions. All right. I want to throw this out to both of you because I’ve seen a lot of talking heads and a lot of social media posts about this process that, you know, why why is it taking so long to get the president’s America first agenda? Why do we have Republicans that are. You know, for instance, today there was a meeting with the speaker, with what are called the SALT Republicans. These are the ones from blue states that are advocating for a higher deduction of state and local taxes, and conservative Republicans, like in the Freedom Caucus. You know, why doesn’t the speaker just say, this is what we’re doing, and do it? You know, and it sounds simple, but there’s been a major shift in the way the Congress is working. And frankly, it’s going back to the way it was designed to work, a very deliberative, slow, but deliberative process.
SPEAKER 04 :
That’s right. And that’s… Go ahead. I was just going to say, that’s actually Mike Johnson’s style. That’s what he brings to the table. This morning, we saw that even after last night’s votes, he was gathering people who still had some grievances to air about the bills that did pass. So he brought together members of the House Freedom Caucus, as you said, members of the SALT Caucus and others, and had them sit down and talk. And I think a key portion of this is that it’s called reconciliation. He’s going to have to reconcile some portions of his caucus that don’t agree. And he’s a master at doing that, as Kena, I’m sure, was about to say as well.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, I was just going to add that this is really Mike Johnson’s signature. He sort of warned us that this was going to happen when he became Speaker. If viewers have not gone back and listened to his first speech to the House of Representatives as Speaker of the House, he called on members, he called on them to call upon their better angels, right? Warning us that we needed to be on better behavior than we’ve seen in the past from our government. That includes this kind of transparency where these divisions are out in the open. Tony, we’re used to having strongmen in power leading the House and the Senate and sort of forcing things in different ways and backroom deals. Mike Johnson is, in many ways, dealing out in the open. These warring factions within the party really do disagree, and Mike is bringing them together and putting them in the same room to talk things out. This is how Congress was supposed to function.
SPEAKER 07 :
The irony here, though, is that many conservatives are condemning this. These are the same ones, though, who criticize Nancy Pelosi for passing Obamacare, saying, well, we’ll read it after we pass it. No transparency there. And those that want their member of Congress to have a voice in the process. I mean, they went for years without even allowing amendments. to bills, now the process is open. Is it ugly? Yes. Is it slow? Yes. But that’s how you reach consensus in a legislative body.
SPEAKER 14 :
That’s right. And that also gives the American people the opportunity to weigh in. And so that’s why we’ve built this tool, so people can weigh in on a few of the issues that we’re working on. But this slow, deliberative, open, and transparent process gives people you and me an opportunity to participate in the process. It’s really important.
SPEAKER 07 :
Suzanne, we’ve got about 45 seconds left. I’m going to give you the last word here. What else do we need to be looking at?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, I would say that we’ve seen some recent polling that’s come out this week that’s very encouraging on the Republican side as it pertains to some of these social issues. And conservatives are on the right side of defunding big abortion as well as defunding gender transitions. We just saw an AP poll that said that 66 percent of Americans agree that we need to be, we shouldn’t be using taxpayer dollars to fund gender transition procedures for Minors especially. So Republicans need to hunker down on these core issues and really just stick to their guns when it matters as these bills are sewn together into one big, beautiful one to pass on the House floor.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I don’t have time to unpack all of that. But, you know, we need to when we see stuff that’s crazy, we need to stand up and say, hey, wait a minute, this doesn’t work. And that’s what we did. at the Family Research Council when it came to these gender transition procedures for minors with the SAFACs. And, you know, it took time. But as we educated the public, people’s minds changed. Now we’ve got 26 states that have laws protecting minors. So truth will ultimately prevail. But we’ve got to stand up and speak it. Kena, Suzanne, thanks so much for joining me today.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thanks, Tony.
SPEAKER 07 :
And folks, let me thank you for joining us as well. But remember, text Congress to 67742 and let your voice be heard on Capitol Hill. Until next time, I leave you once again with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, who says, when you’ve done everything you can do, be prayed, prepared, and taken your stand. By all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 24 :
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.
