In this gripping episode of Washington Watch, we delve into the heated debates surrounding the funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Senate Democrats have blocked a crucial motion, stirring existing tensions with Republicans. We bring insights from Senator John Thune on current political dynamics and explore the ramifications for crucial services like FEMA and ICE as the government approaches a potential shutdown.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 06 :
Democrats are never going to get their full wish list. That’s not the way this works. Republicans, for example, will not agree to measures that make it impossible for officers, for law enforcement officers to do their jobs. But Democrats can build on the measures that Republicans have already agreed to if they actually engage in serious negotiations with the White House.
SPEAKER 09 :
That was Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier today on the Senate floor before Senate Democrats blocked a motion to advance the House bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Welcome to this February 12th edition of Washington Watch. I’m Tony Perkins, your host. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up… An 18-year-old gunman killed eight people including family members and students at a school in Canada before taking his own life. Authorities say he had struggled with mental illness and began what is described as a gender transition process at 12 years of age. Dr. Jennifer Bowens, senior research fellow at the Family Research Council, joins us to discuss the deadly implications of gender transitions for children. Plus, Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter is here with the latest on the standoff between Democrats and the White House over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Well, today on Capitol Hill, lawmakers on the Senate Homeland Security Committee examined the recent massive immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota as well as the rampant fraud that has occurred in the state. Joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Casey Harper, who has been tracking today’s top stories. Casey, was that hearing as lively as yesterday’s House Judiciary Committee hearing?
SPEAKER 11 :
Lively is the word. Yeah, maybe not quite as lively. Definitely heated, though, Tony, on a pretty cold day in D.C. And what we saw at this hearing was leaders from different areas. We saw Minnesota leaders. We saw federal officials and heads of relevant agencies. And then we saw the senators talking about those two issues, the protests and ICE operations in Minneapolis, and then the fraud. They got it all started. Republican Senator Rand Paul made a point in saying that ICE has to regain the public’s trust. There’s a lot of points made today. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, he told the committee that federal agencies are refusing to cooperate with the state investigations into the shooting deaths of those two Americans that were caught on camera and really went viral during ICE operations. He said that the feds have really pushed them out of the investigations room. Republican Senator Ron Johnson, he’s firing back though. He says that officials in Minnesota, local leaders, they’re fueling the chaos that has really taken over the streets of Minneapolis. And our friend Republican Senator Josh Hawley, he grilled Ellison on what started all this in the first place, which is failing to address fraud in the state. Here’s a clip.
SPEAKER 14 :
Donations came on December 20th. You met with them on December the 11th. And on January 20th, the FBI knocked over their headquarters. That’s the sequence of events here.
SPEAKER 18 :
You’ve been right at the center of this fraud thing from the beginning, and you’ve enabled it.
SPEAKER 11 :
And, sir, you should resign. Okay, maybe that was more lively than yesterday. I’ll let you be the judge, Tony. But definitely more anger, more controversy over Minneapolis today.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, also, we’ve learned today that the immigration surge in Minnesota is now coming to an end.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, that’s right. A lot of big news out of Minneapolis today. So Borders are Tom Holman. He held a much anticipated press conference this morning where he said ICE agents are leaving Minneapolis. Here’s a clip.
SPEAKER 01 :
With that and success that has been made arresting public safety threats and other priorities since this surge operation began. as well as the unprecedented levels of coordination we have obtained from state officials and local law enforcement, I have proposed, and President Trump has concurred, that this surge operation conclude.
SPEAKER 11 :
Now, Homan did say there’s still gonna be some ICE agents in the state, but it’s gonna be a far cry from the 3,000 federal agents that surged into Minneapolis after those widespread reports of fraud. And he also made clear that if these agents find any illegal immigrants, they are going to take the enforcement action and process them accordingly. Now, he also took time to really dispel what’s become a Democrat talking point, and he said, hey, we haven’t been, you know, raiding hospitals, schools, and churches to deport people, which is one of the things that’s become the center of debate on Capitol Hill and held up government funding, really. Now, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, for his part, he said he would happily pack the bags of ICE agents leaving the state, which is kind of interesting because all this controversy has really swept under the rug a lot of his role in the fraud that has been dominating his state for many years.
SPEAKER 09 :
Casey, I heard that Tom Holman said that these ice agents would go back to their home stations or be deployed elsewhere. Any indication that there may be another ice surge somewhere else?
SPEAKER 11 :
I think it’s very possible once things cool down a little bit. You’ve actually, if you’ve been following this, as I know you have, they’ve been going city by city and state by state. So Minneapolis, there was a news hook to get them in there, but it was just the latest in a string of cities, and also with the National Guard deployments that they’ve been considering. Some cities have pushed back on that. Some, like Tennessee, welcomed it. But I don’t think that Minneapolis is the last that we’re going to see of this.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right. Casey Harper, thanks so much for joining us. All right. So what happens tonight at midnight when the funding for the Department of Homeland Security expires as Senate Democrats are unable to reach an agreement with the White House over continuing the funding for the Department of Homeland Security? Joining me now by phone to give us the latest is Congressman Buddy Carter, who serves on the House Budget Committee and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. He represents the 1st Congressional District of Georgia. Congressman Carter, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, thank you for having me, Tony. It’s always a pleasure.
SPEAKER 09 :
So the Department of Homeland Security shutdown is all but certain. The bill from the House did not advance. The Democrats blocked it. What are you hearing and what is this shutdown going to affect?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, the shutdown is going to affect, first of all, obviously, it’s going to affect ICE. And I support ICE and ICE is doing their job. They have been charged with the mission of removing criminal illegal immigrants, and that is what they’re doing. But it’s also going to have an impact on other programs as well, not the least of which is FEMA. And right now, after the winter storm that we’ve just experienced, people need FEMA. And FEMA is now not going to be appropriated. It’s not going to be funded. And here we have people without power as a result of this winter storm. They’re not going to get the help that they need. Not only that, but others that are going to be impacted. TSA, the Coast Guard. Those are important programs in our country. Yet Chuck Schumer and John Ossoff and the Democrats are putting illegal criminal immigrants ahead of American citizens who need these services.
SPEAKER 09 :
So how quickly will citizens begin to feel the shutdown?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, they’ll be able to fill it pretty quick. And when DHS shuts down, and that should be probably at midnight tonight, then you’ll see the impact. First of all, FEMA is going to be impacted immediately. TSA will continue because they are a service that’s essential. But the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard, they’re not going to get paid. And here we have Here we have Americans who are working, who are not getting paid, providing essential services, and yet, again, Chuck Schumer, John Ossoff, and the Democrats are putting criminal, illegal immigrants ahead of these American workers who are doing their job.
SPEAKER 09 :
There does not appear to be a resolution on the horizon because both the House and the Senate will be on recess next week. If the Senate does not move anything tonight, you know, there’s likely not to be, will not be a resolution next week. So we may be looking at the following week before there’s even conversations about it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, you’re exactly right. And again, that is, that’s, Chuck Schumer, John Ossoff, and the Democrats putting criminal illegal immigrants ahead of American citizens. And yes, this could last a while. Now, we have been put on 48-hour notice. The Speaker has said, be ready that we may need to call you in within 48 hours. And certainly, if we need to do that, we will. But you make a good point. The Senate is scheduled to be out. Number of members are, you know, we have plans. We have lives outside of Congress. And They have plans, and certainly we will fulfill our obligations. Don’t get me wrong, but at the same time, it’s going to be difficult to get everybody back at once. When you scatter across the United States, it’s difficult. And yet, again, here we have John Ossoff, Chuck Schumer, and the Democrats paying no attention whatsoever to the American citizens, instead putting criminal illegal immigrants ahead of American citizens. And let’s face it, this is nothing more than defund the police all over again. That’s exactly what it is. Defund the police.
SPEAKER 09 :
Now, I understand in anticipation of hopefully reaching some type of resolution, the House speaker, I believe, canceled the congressional overseas trips.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yes, I understand that. And, you know, that and again, we as members of Congress, we understand we’re willing to do our part. But This is just another example of Chuck Schumer, John Ossoff, and the Democrats putting the criminal illegal immigrants ahead of American citizens, ahead of members of Congress, ahead of everyone, just because they’re trying to protect them. And look, Tom Holman, you’ve just reported that there’s going to be a drawdown of the forces in Minnesota, that surge is going to end. We’ve agreed to provide body cams for the ICE agents. We’re trying to negotiate in good faith, and yet the Democrats don’t want to do that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Congressman McCarter, let me step back for a moment and ask a bigger question here because we just had another shutdown at the end of the year. We had a longer shutdown in American history. But these are becoming more frequent. Is this another just symptom of a Congress in a nation that is divided?
SPEAKER 05 :
I would submit to you that it is, and it’s unfortunate because, you know, the government shouldn’t shut down. And there are a number of people who are proposing that we pass legislation that says the government can’t shut down. I’m not sure, you know, the devil’s in the details on something of that magnitude. But, again, this is the ploy. And thank you for mentioning the shutdown back in the fall. Let’s don’t forget that for 42 days the government was shut down, the longest shutdown in the history of our country. And why? Because Chuck Schumer, John Ossoff, and the Democrats, once again, they were trying at that time to get health care benefits for illegal immigrants. And we’re not going to do that. We’re simply not going to do that. They failed to do it, yet they shut the government down for that long of a period of time, making people suffer, making our troops not get paid, our SNAP, our beneficiaries in those programs, those very important programs. They didn’t give them the WIC program. All of those suffered as a result of the Democrats’ selfishness trying to defund the police and once again putting illegal criminal immigrants ahead of the American people.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, Congressman Buddy Carter, we’re going to leave it there. I want to thank you for taking time to join us. Always great to hear from you.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you very much.
SPEAKER 09 :
Congressman Buddy Carter of Georgia, you know, it is we’re seeing this more frequently. These the government shutdowns because the two sides can’t come together and it’s so narrowly divided. I mean, when you look at the makeup of the House where the speaker now has almost no vote, he has one vote. And we saw that play out this week on a number of issues. Both parties are divided within themselves, the country’s divided, a lot of division. You know, we need to be praying that our nation can find common ground again. And here’s where I think we find the common ground. It’s on truth. That’s why it’s so important that we stand for truth, and that begins with biblical truth. That’s why the news and information that comes from Washington Watch and the Washington Stand is based on that biblical truth. All right, when we come back, we’ve got more Washington Watch, so don’t go away.
SPEAKER 16 :
The world says love is love, but what does God’s Word say? This Valentine’s Day, discover the true meaning of love, the way God defines it with Family Research Council’s free digital resource, Valentine’s Day, Love That Reflects Christ. Whether you’re reading on your own or sharing with others, this resource will encourage you and equip you to love the way Christ loves. Text VALENTINE to 67742 to get your free copy today.
SPEAKER 09 :
You see, America has freedom for a purpose. The question is, are we living by that purpose today? See, the founders understood we as a nation would be accountable to God for what he had granted to us. They sought freedom for a purpose, and that freedom was given to us as a nation for that same purpose, to serve God, to honor him, and to live as a people under his authority.
SPEAKER 19 :
At the 2026 National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance in Washington, DC, members of Congress, state leaders, evangelical leaders, and intercessors from across the nation united as one voice in prayer.
SPEAKER 13 :
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this gathering. We do repent. And we ask for your continued favor and blessing over our nation, even when we don’t deserve it.
SPEAKER 03 :
I thank you that because of the shed blood and the glorious righteousness of your son, Jesus Christ, a sinner such as myself can boldly approach your throne. You said that you helped the humble, and we’re asking just now that you would help us, Lord.
SPEAKER 10 :
While our God is marching on. Glory, glory.
SPEAKER 24 :
We pray that you humble us, help us to follow after you with all our hearts so that we can see righteousness exalted in this nation and this nation restored to you. We know that it’s not by our power, it’s not by our might, it’s by your spirit.
SPEAKER 09 :
Freedom has a name. His name is Jesus. And freedom has a purpose. It is to honor and glorify you. We pray that we would return to that purpose. Amen.
SPEAKER 22 :
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 09 :
You are listening to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us on this Thursday afternoon. A small town in British Columbia is mourning following a horrific mass shooting earlier this week where eight people were killed, including five young students and a teacher. Police say the 18-year-old shooter, who had suffered mental health problems and identified as transgender, killed his mother, 11-year-old stepbrother, before opening deadly fire at a local school. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing the total of dead to nine. Canadian police officials said the shooter began so-called gender transition to a female six years ago. So at the age of 12, this… this boy began this process of trying to become a woman. It’s a scenario that is becoming more frequent. In fact, just six months ago, another man who identified as a woman killed two and injured dozens at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. Joining me now to discuss this and more is Dr. Jennifer Bowens, a senior research fellow here at the Family Research Council. She has worked extensively as a researcher and a clinician providing trauma-focused treatment to children in behavioral health settings and also to adults who have experienced interpersonal traumas. Dr. Bowens, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 25 :
Hey, Tony. It’s good to be with you again.
SPEAKER 09 :
Is it just me, or are these becoming more frequent, these types of shootings?
SPEAKER 25 :
Well, the shootings themselves are definitely becoming more frequent in our country, which is unfortunate. But aside from that, the transgender-identified shootings are becoming more frequent. And it begs the question we keep hearing about folks on the other side of the aisle saying, why do Republicans and conservatives care so much about this issue? It’s not happening. There aren’t that many people in this population. Why do they care so much? Well, for not that many people identifying as transgender, there sure are a big swath of them that are involved in these shootings. It’s very disproportionate. And I think it makes us say, we need to take a hard look at what’s going on in our society and the bigger issues and the ideologies that are contributing to an environment where children have no other option to, they think they have no other option but to harm themselves or to harm others. And that culture of death needs to be dismantled.
SPEAKER 09 :
So are you hopeful that maybe with recent announcements from the American Medical Association and others that are now backing away from at least the surgical aspects of the transgender movement, that we might start looking at the underlying issues here with these individuals that have gender dysphoria?
SPEAKER 25 :
Yeah, I’m hopeful that as these individuals these organizations, these medical organizations that have given cover for a bad ideology, that they’re finally succumbing to good science and succumbing to reality and saying that we’re not going to endorse this. You know, it’s time that children get the proper care that they need and that the root issues that are driving them to take on this false identity are actually resolved, because right now that’s not happening. And once the transgender pipeline is opened, these kids are their issues are further complicated by the ideology.
SPEAKER 09 :
So Dr. Bounds, what’s been happening, and we’ve discussed this before, but as a child expresses these Well, gender dysphoria, instead of treating the underlying issues as a, you know, whether it’s a mental illness or whatever it might be, that’s covered up and it’s immediately, as you said, put into this pipeline with this toxic cocktail often of drugs. It’s experimental. That’s the drug side of it. But then you even move down the pipeline further and it’s these irreversible surgical procedures.
SPEAKER 25 :
Yeah. And it’s so damaging. And the younger you go, you know, like this young man that we’re talking about, we’re talking about a very formidable age where he’s going through this identification. And by the way, when you start identifying as transgender, you’re essentially… disconnecting from who you’ve been made to be so there’s as you disconnect think about that you’re you’re not fully present with your actions with your emotions your behavior so it’s easier to do things and not feel responsibility for your actions when you’re not in yourself when you I mean, if you’ve ever been medicated or you know you’re not quite yourself, well, when you’re intentionally disconnecting from yourself, then you’re more subject, you’re more vulnerable to do things that you wouldn’t normally do. and here you have an ideology that’s promoting that kind of behavior and then you have adults who affirming it and applauding it think how much harder it is for that child then to come out from underneath the grip of that right so it really becomes physiological as well because if you’re taking these these hormones that you’re not your body is not created today if you’re a male
SPEAKER 09 :
you know, taking estrogen or other hormones from women or a female taking testosterone, that’s not normal. Not to the levels that they’re injecting them.
SPEAKER 25 :
That’s right. And they’re much higher than what would be normal. And everybody’s body is different. So the true effect that these hormones are having on a person That’s still unknown. Not to mention, Tony, we really don’t have a lot of study that looks at the effect of just the social aspect. So then you add drugs on top of that, and you add these known developmental psychological issues that are going to lead a kid to further… ingratiate themselves in this ideology we’re not talking about a good combination and that’s really at the end of the day that’s where our society needs to look at how are we actually treating kids with their mental health care and what are we doing in our society to promote health rather than continue to destroy children’s identity and the in the family unit itself
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s almost as if we’ve created a social and cultural Frankenstein with this. And it is now turning on its master. Jennifer, thanks so much for joining us. Always, always appreciate your insights into this.
SPEAKER 16 :
Good to be with you.
SPEAKER 09 :
Thanks, Kelly. Dr. Jennifer Bowens. It really is. This has been created by our culture, and it’s now turning on us. Don’t go away. More Washington Watch straight ahead.
SPEAKER 07 :
The family is the oldest, most tested, and most reliable unit of society. It is divinely created and sustained. And yet, there are those who are always tampering with its values and structure. That’s why we need organizations like the Family Research Council that can effectively defend and strengthen the family.
SPEAKER 10 :
Family Research Council began over 40 years ago, like all great movements of God, with prayer. Today, rooted in the heart of the nation’s capital, FRC continues to champion faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.
SPEAKER 01 :
FRC is one of those bright lights that helps us focus on true north. And I shudder to think, had they not been here, that it could have been worse, worse, worse.
SPEAKER 20 :
The Family Research Council is key. It’s one of a handful of groups that I think will determine whether our children live in a country that enjoyed all of the freedom and all the opportunity that we enjoyed in this great land.
SPEAKER 17 :
It’s just a wonderful parachurch organization that doesn’t seek to take the place of the church, but it seeks to assist the family and the church as we try to move forward successfully, not in a defensive mode, but in an offensive mode as we seek to live our lives according to the Holy Scriptures.
SPEAKER 01 :
FRC is not going to be whooped. You know, we’re going to fight. We’re going to take a stand.
SPEAKER 09 :
And again, we don’t retreat. You will never see in front of this building here in Washington, D.C., a white flag flying. We will never step back. We will never surrender. And we will never be silent. WELCOME BACK. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE TONYPERKINS.COM. LOTS OF RESOURCES THERE FOR YOU FROM TODAY’S PROGRAM AND PAST PROGRAMS AND THE STAND FIRM APP, WHICH HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL. GO TO THE APP STORE AND GET THE STAND FIRM APP. So on Washington Watch, we have a segment we call Standing Together. It’s where we highlight organizations that share our commitment to advance the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, and freedom. And we only bring on organizations that we can confidently stand with because that’s what they advance. So today we want to give some lift to Teen Pack, an organization that seeks to inspire youth in their relationship with Christ and train them to understand the political process, value their liberty, defend the Christian faith, and engage the culture around them. And leading the organization is its CEO and president, Chris May, who joins me now in studio. Chris, welcome.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you, Tony. It’s an honor to be here.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I’m excited to have you here. I’ve been associated with Teen Pack probably 30, well, maybe not quite 30 years, but close to it, 25 years or more, since Tim Eccles, who is now on board with us, was the founder of it. But you’ve been there for the last two years?
SPEAKER 08 :
Two and a half years. Yes. So this is my third season starting into it. And we hold 60 classes between February and the end of April, where we bring in teenagers and allow them to understand the political process. And we truly try to inspire them in their relationship with Christ.
SPEAKER 09 :
So I kind of describe it, and correct me if I’m wrong, but I used to host the group in Louisiana when I was in the legislature. But I always saw it as like a Christian boys’ state, girls’ state event where they come to learn politics and the process, but from a biblical perspective.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, absolutely. And I actually attended Boys State in Texas and you’re spot on. It’s very similar to that where they’re learning the political process, but the big difference is that we are rooted, we are grounded in truth and stand on the Bible and inspire them in their relationship with Christ.
SPEAKER 09 :
What percentage of the students that participate in Teen Pack are homeschool students?
SPEAKER 08 :
It’s a large majority. So just with having to take a week off for the class, mostly it lends to homeschooling. But we do have private schools that come. A lot of times they’ll organize their whole class to come. But we also have public schoolers and we invite them and love to have them. It’s just getting harder and harder to take off from school.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, so before we run out of time here talking about it, how can people find out more about Teampact?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, they can go on to our website, so teampact.com, T-E-E-N-P-A-C-T.com, and get more information. So if you have a… teenager, and they’re looking to get involved. It’s an incredible discipleship program. Really, the secret sauce is we have student leaders that are walking with Christ and inspiring. And for our kids and so many others, that was the difference maker for them of seeing young people that truly love the Lord and are living with excellence.
SPEAKER 09 :
So, Tim, how many states are they operating in?
SPEAKER 08 :
So we’re virtually in every state. Sorry, Chris. Hey, an homage to the founder, Tim Eccles, so a great man. We are in virtually every state, so even Hawaii and Alaska.
SPEAKER 09 :
You need a sponsor to go over there to Hawaii with them?
SPEAKER 08 :
That’s what I keep trying to get on that class. I haven’t been on it yet, but… but they’re incredible classes where students come alive and it’s a very safe environment. There’s discipleship with usually a pastor that’s giving evening sessions, but they’re in the Capitol. They’re dressed up in suits.
SPEAKER 09 :
They meet the legislators to get a chance to interact with them.
SPEAKER 08 :
They do. They oftentimes get to hear from governors, senators, representatives, and just get some incredible interactions. Yeah.
SPEAKER 09 :
And from my personal experience, some of them have gone on to work as pages in the legislatures and then work for staff. And so it’s really an entry point into better understanding government. And Chris, you know, everything works around relationships.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. Absolutely. And it just demystifies the whole capital process. And a lot of people are intimidated of what goes on in there. And so our students come and they have written a bill and they’re able to read that and debate it and go through Robert’s Rules of Order and just understand how the whole process works. And it’s a beautiful thing to watch them engage. And it’s a very hands-on program. So we’re not just teaching to them. but they’re participating.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right, right. They get to learn how it works. So give us a sense of it’s a week long. You’ve got you said 60 courses, 60 classes coming up.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes. So what are some of the things that they some of the classes that they’ll they’ll be exposed to during the course of that week?
SPEAKER 08 :
Right. Well, we have teaching sessions on things like the Constitution and political science. But we also have, you know, all the different They run for elections, so they get a taste of that. They’re walking around doing prayer walks and getting to pray for our leaders and interact with them, getting to hear from speakers. And so it’s a taste of a little bit of everything. Good teaching, they can get a third of a high school credit. And we’re actually doing a pilot right now where they can potentially get college credit as well, dual credit. So a lot of great things are happening. Great.
SPEAKER 09 :
A lot of good things have happened there. And there’s a lot of friendships that are built that have that are kind of lasting.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. This is I know the experience for our kids specifically was they felt like they were almost on an island oftentimes. And then they came to Teen Pact and they said, wow, there are lots of people out there that that have my beliefs and I’m not I’m not on this island.
SPEAKER 09 :
30 seconds. Chris, again, how can people find out more about Teen Pack?
SPEAKER 08 :
Great. Well, there’s classes going on again throughout the country. So many of the classes are full, but there’s many that still have spots, but they can go to teenpack.com, T-E-N-P-A-C-T.com and get all the information.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, Chris May, thank you so much for coming into the studio and joining us today. Appreciate the work that you do. Big fan of Team Peck. Thank you so much. Folks, check it out. I mean, if you’ve got kids, grandkids, it’s a great, great way to learn more about government. All right, stick with us. More straight ahead. We have state leaders that want to keep the deadly drugs out of their states. Maybe if these abortion pills were coming by boat, the administration would change its tactics. It’s time to respect the rights of the states, and it’s time to end death by mail.
SPEAKER 15 :
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, alongside Senator Lindsey Graham, led a press conference on Capitol Hill, urging the Trump administration to end the Biden-era policies that have allowed dangerous abortion drugs to be shipped across state lines. They were joined by state attorneys general, pro-life advocates and multiple Republican congressmen.
SPEAKER 14 :
There are more abortions today in the United States than when Roe versus Wade was the law of the land. And why is that? It’s because of the chemical abortion drug, Mifeprestone. Nearly 70% of the abortions that are committed in the United States today are committed because of Mifeprestone.
SPEAKER 23 :
The federal government is allowing a chemical abortion pill to be sent through the mail that wipes out every state unborn protection law in the land.
SPEAKER 22 :
It’s harder to ship alcohol in this country than it is to ship the abortion pill.
SPEAKER 12 :
And that should never be the case. This is a drug that takes the life of every child. So there is always a death that’s involved in this drug, but is also incredibly dangerous for the mom as well. We think that we should require a doctor to be able to get access to this drug.
SPEAKER 21 :
As a doctor, I think it’s essential that there be human contact before the pill is prescribed.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s not about a national abortion ban. It’s about validating Dobbs and preventing other states from nullifying the legislative policy choices that have been made by our states and facilitating the illegal, unethical, and dangerous drug trafficking of abortion pills into our states without any medical oversight whatsoever.
SPEAKER 23 :
We can simply fix this if we have the courage to do it. So what are all of us telling the administration? You’ve been a great pro-life president, Mr. President. It is now time to deal with this issue.
SPEAKER 14 :
We want to protect life, and we want to give voice to the American people and their right to protect life state by state, city by city, and yes, here in the United States Congress. That’s what this fight is about.
SPEAKER 15 :
Let your voice be heard. Text LIFE to 67742. Sign the petition. Tell the Trump administration to act.
SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 09 :
This is Washington Watch. Tony Perkins, glad to have you on this Thursday afternoon. Be sure and get the stand firm app. That way you can have access to Washington Watch. You can have our stand on our Washington stand rather. which is our news and commentary from the biblical perspectives we’ve been talking about today. I think it’s so important that we look at these issues in light of Scripture. Not only does that give us truth, but it also gives us hope, which gives us the courage to stand for that truth. So, get the Stand Firm app. You can also have access to my daily devotional stand on the Word. And speaking of that, our Word for today comes from Exodus, chapters 15 and 16, where victory turns quickly into testing. After crossing the Red Sea, Israel erupts into worship. The Lord is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. They were not singing about the Lord. They were singing to him. Deliverance produced praise. Fear of the Lord produced faith. But three days later, the water was bitter and the singing stopped. Then hunger set in and the complaints grew louder. The same people who had seen the sea divided now said… You have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. What changed? Not God, their circumstances. Exodus teaches us that redemption is immediate, but transformation is a process. You can take Israel out of Egypt in one night, but taking Egypt out of Israel took years. So the Lord provided manna, but with instructions. Daily bread became a daily test. Would they trust Him enough to obey Him? Deliverance is God’s work. Obedience is ours. And often the greatest test after a victory is whether we will continue to trust the God who brought us through it. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text Bible to 67742. That’s Bible to 67742. OKAY, THE FIREWORKS ON CAPITOL HILL IS WHAT DREW MUCH OF THE PRESS’ ATTENTION THIS WEEK, BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT NEED ATTENTION AS WELL. SO TO GO OVER A FEW OF THOSE ITEMS, I’M GOING TO BRING IN TODAY’S PANEL OF FRC EXPERTS. WITH ME NOW IN THE STUDIO IS SUZANNE BAUDE, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR AND SENIOR WRITER AT THE WASHINGTON STAND, AND TRAVIS WEBER, VICE PRESIDENT FOR POLICY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL. SUZANNE, TRAVIS, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 09 :
So, Suzanne, let’s start with you. Let’s start with the one of your favorite organizations, the Human Rights Campaign, the favorite to pray for. Yeah, they I mean, they’ve been promoting the. Sexually confused for a long, long time, but something’s been happening there. Twenty twenty six corporate index equality index. What’s happening?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, I think we’ve seen a lot of great wins over the last three years in this campaign to sort of purge the wokeness from corporate America. But I think what we’re seeing this week is probably the most significant thing that I’ve seen happen since this whole cultural revolution started. HRC, if you aren’t familiar with, is really the driving force behind a lot of the LGBT agenda items that we see. They’re wealthy or have been outspoken. They have a lot of political clout on the Hill. They’ve been around for over two decades. This is a group that’s really struck fear in the hearts of corporate boardrooms for years, literally. And the biggest weapon they have in their toolbox is intimidation. So since 2002, they put out a Corporate Equality Index. It’s their way to rank companies on how pro-LGBT they are, pro-trans now, pro-homosexual.
SPEAKER 09 :
Didn’t they also kind of push a lot of corporations to sign on to these amicus briefs to redefine marriage?
SPEAKER 04 :
Absolutely. That’s actually a qualification to get a perfect score with them is you have to be involved in promoting LGBTQ legislation statewide and federally. So the benchmark here to get a good score with them is very high and continues to evolve to be more radical. Well, what we just discovered this year, and I have to give CNBC credit for pointing this out. I don’t think they wanted to. Fortune 500 companies have been a regular participant in this index, submitting what they’re doing in their internal policies. And we’ve seen a 65% drop in a single year of Fortune 500 companies participating. We’re talking about going from almost 400 of the 500 Fortune 500 companies to 131. And that is a seismic shift. I mean, basically what we’re seeing is HRC’s influence absolutely collapsing, their corporate influence collapsing. And these CEOs are saying, look, if I have a calculus to make right now, if I’m looking out at the political landscape, What good is there in submitting my score? If I get a low score, I’m going to be publicly shamed by HRC, probably, you know, blackmailed in their soundbites, etc. If I get a high score, I’ve got a target on my back from Americans now who are forced to be reckoned with. Our profits are going to take a hit. So I think they’re making a financially sound decision by saying, look, we’re just going to walk away. And all we’ve really wanted from these companies is that they would be politically neutral. And that’s what we’re starting to see. But the downfall of HRC is something that 10 years ago, 20 years ago, those of us that have been in the movement, I would have never predicted. And I’m very interested to see where this goes next with them.
SPEAKER 09 :
So the million dollar question, is Starbucks still on there?
SPEAKER 04 :
They are.
SPEAKER 09 :
I did look them up. So is this temporary or is this a are we seeing an implosion that will take years for them to rebuild?
SPEAKER 04 :
I don’t think that it’s temporary. I think this is a cultural revolution from the bottom up. And I think those are the most powerful in our society. I think when you have actual people, everyday people who are taking a stand in large numbers.
SPEAKER 09 :
So you see this as, because I can’t talk about this without talking about the politics of it, because we have an administration that’s pushing back on this. Do you see the administration as more tapping into what the grassroots was already doing as opposed to it being top down? Thank you.
SPEAKER 18 :
Well, you know, it’s interesting. I think that certainly corporations are aware of the Trump administration’s position on these things. And I absolutely think there’s a lot of… A lot of them are kind of backing away from some things they might not have otherwise backed away from if they weren’t scared of Trump coming after them with the DOJ and other federal agencies. So, Tony, I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens if that pressure from the federal government is taken off the lid here. I think the positive side of this is if… This is sustained to a sufficient degree. It can produce a cultural change within these systems. And I think as the truth is revealed about the horrors of the trans ideology, like we’re seeing come out now of people saying, what happened to me? What bill of goods did Dr. sell me? That’s where we’ll see the…
SPEAKER 04 :
permanent change. I think the Trump administration has done these companies a favor by giving them cover. I do think that they can say, well, hey, look, there’s this anti-DEI executive order, so we have to comply. But I also believe that a lot of these CEOs were very uncomfortable with what they were being asked to do, which is open their bathrooms to both sexes, cover transgender surgeries for employees and the children. We’re talking about mandatory training, ideology. You have to use pronouns. I mean, it’s absolutely wild what they were being asked to do. And they’re just saying, no more.
SPEAKER 09 :
So do you all want the answer?
SPEAKER 04 :
What’s the answer? Do tell us. It’s both.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s both. I think the Trump administration was preceded by this. If you go back to the campaign of 2024, Biggest ad was over the transgender issue. And I know how the campaign worked. It was all based on polling. The polls were already shifting. But here’s what I think. This is how I see it. if you want to know. It’s your show. We’re asking. Good. Thanks for asking. So I think that the public was shifting. There was a shift, but what the administration is allowing to happen is it’s like wet cement is now being able to form because they’ve given the public the space to move forward even further, and it’s solidifying the pushback. And it’s being reinforced by the government. So instead of a clash between, you know, consumers pushing back against corporate America and government, you’ve got government working in concert with consumers. So I think it’s both.
SPEAKER 18 :
Well, you know, you think, Tony, as you’re sharing, I’m thinking of the school board battles, right? At that time, you had parents seeing what was being taught. It seems to me that was much more of a clash where you had schools insisting on cramming things down parents’ throats.
SPEAKER 09 :
And you had the federal government calling them domestic terrorists.
SPEAKER 18 :
And they still were pushing back. Right. Big clash there, right? So, it’s an interesting thing to imagine that, you know, the current scenario in light of different government posture. But certainly, we want to see a lot of these positives about biological reality cemented, right? But this is a reminder of culture needing the biblical truth to be seeped
SPEAKER 09 :
So I think the same thing is true when you look at what happened last week with the American Medical Association. So you had the pushback. You talk about the schools. That was all about the transgender bathrooms, girl sports. And you saw the pushback from that. Then you have an administration that comes in in agreement with that pushback. And then you have these associations who know they were playing make-believe, and they were standing on sinking sand. And so they began to shift and change. Of course, you have the court decisions which helped with that, the malpractice case out of New York that awarded $2 million to the young girl who was mutilated by a doctor. So I think it’s… My hope is that… This continues to move forward so that it does become the norm as opposed to a temporary shift in the cultural awareness of the destructive nature of these policies.
SPEAKER 18 :
Yeah. Yeah. And Tony, this is why it’s so important just to keep a focus at all levels of government and culture and society, too. We talk about people. with even the Pray, Vote, Stand chapters at their local level taking responsibility for their communities, there are gonna be issues that arise in this area or threats or questions that parents have, right? So, if local community grapples with this and kinda can help provide that wall of protection of truth around this issue, prevent it from infiltrating that spread, that’s really the recipe for success.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that’s what I was talking about a moment ago before I brought you all in about the Washington Stand news and commentary from a biblical perspective. we can have confidence when we know the truth. And first off, it starts with knowing the word of God and being in the word of God, which is stand on the word. And then when you begin to look at and view things in light of that word, you have the confidence to stand. And so I would encourage that parents continue You know, the old fable of the emperor having no clothes. If the emperor doesn’t have any clothes, hey, say he’s naked, you know? I mean, don’t sit there and act like everything’s normal. All right, another item on the Hill this week, a
SPEAKER 18 :
a big victory in the house was the the save act talk about that travis yeah so tony this is a bill that we’ve got a we’re doing some outreach in action here at frc action on the save act supporting it as it moves through the house and seeing these common sense voting protections solidified into law these are things all americans can agree with but the question is whether what will happen to it as it moves over to the senate so Folks can add their voice to these common sense protections and sign the petition at frcaction.org. It’s up there on the website. And lend your voice to telling the federal government this is normal.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s common sense. So you just have to have an ID to vote. Makes sense to me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Which a lot of these Democrats require when people come into their rallies and their town halls.
SPEAKER 09 :
I know. I know. And you’ve got to have an ID to get on a plane. You’ve got to have an ID to cash a check. I mean, you’ve got to have an ID to do almost anything. Now, a lot of people don’t have any idea about anything, but you catch that.
SPEAKER 04 :
You’re looking at me.
SPEAKER 09 :
But the reality is this is common sense. And so, folks, it passed the House, even had one Democrat voted for it.
SPEAKER 04 :
Henry?
SPEAKER 09 :
It goes now to the Senate. But here’s the problem. The Senate probably won’t take it up. It’s got to have 60 votes. That means you’ve got to have Democrats join with it. But we’ve got a petition, as Travis mentioned. You can also text SAVE, S-A-V-E, that’s S-A-V-E, SAVE to 67742. That’s SAVE to 67742. All right. I want to work in one more topic. And that is the battle over murder by mail, Mifeprestone, the abortion drug that is being mailed into states according to federal policy, Biden era policy that still remains in place. Abortion numbers are higher than they were before the overturn of Roe. The state of Louisiana has filed suit against the FDA that has maintained this policy. And this week, the Family Research Council filed a friend of the court brief in support of the state of Louisiana.
SPEAKER 18 :
I’ll tell you, this is an important case because we still have the current Biden lack of regulation of this dangerous drug being mailed. The FDA is not taking action on it, and DOJ is not enforcing these mailings across state lines. So abortion-promoting states, doctors in them like California can mail the drug to Louisiana. That’s part of the suit. So we’re agreeing with the state of Louisiana. They have a meritorious claim here, and our specific brief with psychiatrist Dr. Martha Shuping makes the point that By the own standards of ACOG, the American Association, Professional Association for Gynecologists, their own standards when they screen for partner violence between men and women in a romantic relationship, they recommend certain guidelines including in-person visits. By that logic, they should support an in-person visit for the distribution of misopristone, often associated with the violence between men and women. And we have these cases where men are taking advantage of the use of the drug to murder the unborn in their partner’s wombs. This is horrific. And so we really want to point this out in the brief.
SPEAKER 09 :
So this takes the issue of domestic violence between partners, some married, some not. And this is just this is like fuel to the fire, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 18 :
It’s a horrific situation. Right. And we’re really what we’re trying to do. You know, we talked about the ID issue. It’s logic and common sense. So when we see a lack of that, that indicates there’s an ideology at play. Right. Likewise here. by logic and common sense, the in-person visit, which makes it harder for that man to hide, right? Because what happens when you can, word by mail, someone could pose, you know, they can hide things, hide information, fake their appearance. When a woman shows up in a doctor’s office and can be physically examined with regard to the marks on her body and the abuse, the guy can’t hide behind that. But when these drugs are mailed across state lines, they can hide. That’s the point we’re really making in the brief. It’s such an essential point to be highlighting here
SPEAKER 09 :
So increasingly, these medical professionals have become a really in a place to help women who are in abusive relationships. Now they’re going to be abused even further because these men and we know these cases are happening. Men are ordering these drugs. They’re coming in from out of state and they’re slipping them into their cocktail, into their drinks or some cases cramming them down their throats while they’re sleeping.
SPEAKER 18 :
It’s horrible, right? So really what we want to do is point out the major inconsistency here and what that inconsistency reveals about what’s actually happening and the danger to women and the likelihood of abuse often by men who are taking advantage of this situation. So, you know, Tony, we really hope and pray that this case prevails, that Louisiana prevails in challenge to the federal government here.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, Travis, Suzanne, we’re going to leave it there. Thanks so much for joining us. And folks, we’re not going to let go of this issue. Not only are we filing things in court, we’re working here in D.C. And you can add your voice. Text the word life to six, seven, seven, four, two. That’s life to six, seven, seven, four, two. And you can sign a petition to the FDA. All right. I’m out of time as well. So I got to say goodbye until next time. Keep standing.
SPEAKER 10 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That’s GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
