Happy New Year from all of us at Washington Watch! As we begin a new year, we want to put the first thing first -- that is, God's Word. Harold Harper, FRC's Senior Vice President, joins Tony for a conversation about how daily Bible reading transforms our lives, shapes our worldview, and gives us the confidence to share the hope of Christ with others. They discuss practical ways to build strong families through discipleship and modeling a love for God's Word.  

On this edition of Washington Watch, Dr. Owen Strachan, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Public Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dr. Dave Brat, Dean of the School of Business at Liberty University and former Congressman, explain how critical race theory is incompatible with a biblical worldview and share how Christians should be prepared to address it when it emerges in the church and education.   

Today we feature a conversation with Phil Hotsenpiller, Senior Pastor of Influence Church and author of One Nation Without Law, about keeping a spiritual perspective as we witness the rise of lawlessness in America and around the world. 

On this special "Faith & Freedom" edition of Washington Watch, we feature Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from Florida, and Ralph Norman, U.S. Representative for the 5^th district of South Carolina. Sen. Rubio discusses faith as foundational to policy making, sharing how he turns to the Bible and faith leaders for insight when making policy decisions. He reveals why he shares scripture daily on social media and encourages listeners to proclaim the gospel even in the face of opposition. Rep. Norman discusses his experience living out his faith on Capitol Hill, from his interactions with others in public office, to making policy decisions. He discusses why faith must be paramount in a Christian’s life, and why legislators must not check their faith at the doors of Congress.  

Today’s show features:

• Rod Dreher, author and Senior Editor at The American Conservative, on his latest book, Live Not by Lies. 
• Darryl Strawberry, retired Major League Baseball player, speaker, and best-selling author, on his soon to be released book, Turn Your Season Around: How God Transforms Your Life. 

On this special "Faith & Freedom" edition of Washington Watch, we feature Rep. Mark Green, U.S. Representative for the 7^th district of Tennessee and author of “A Night with Saddam," and Rep. Tim Walberg, U.S. Representative for the 7^th district of Michigan. Rep. Green discusses the religious discrimination he faced from Congress after being nominated by President Trump for a cabinet position. He was viciously criticized by Democratic senators and the mainstream media for his statements affirming biblical positions on marriage, gender identity, and a divine Creator. Rep. Walberg shares how God first called him to serve in the pulpit and then to politics. He describes following Christ as an adventure where God places stamps in our passport in a life of ministry.

Today’s show features: 

• James Lankford, U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, on the negotiations in Congress over a coronavirus relief package, and on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee’s hearing on election security.
• Curtis Hill, Indiana Attorney General, on Indiana joining the multi-state lawsuit against Google over the tech giant’s anti-competitive conduct practices.
• Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas Attorney General, on the 8^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals clearing the way for Arkansas abortion laws to go into effect.
• Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, on the DOJ filing a lawsuit to protect health care workers from being forced to perform abortions in Vermont. 
• Dean Nelson, FRC’s Senior Fellow for African American Affairs and the Executive Director of Human Coalition Action, on FRC Action and Faith Family Freedom Fund’s Georgia pastor briefing this morning and his reaction to Georgia Senate candidate Raphael Warnock’s past statements. 

Today’s show features: 

• Jody Hice, U.S. Representative for the 10^th district of Georgia, on FRC Action’s Pray Vote Stand Georgia Rally tonight and what is at stake in the Georgia Senate runoff election.  
• Mike Johnson, U.S. Representative for the 4^th district of Louisiana, on the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting the Texas election lawsuit.  
• Peter Sprigg, FRC’s Senior Fellow for Policy Studies, on transgender activists calling for all children to be put on puberty blockers until they can determine their identity.  
• Maria Keffler, Co-founder of the Arlington Parent Coalition and Partner and Media Rep at Partners for Ethical Care, on the growing dissatisfaction among parents with educational establishments that prioritize political correctness above all else.

Today’s show features: 

• Dr. Ralph Reed, Founder and Chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, on the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting the Texas election lawsuit, Tuesday's FRC Action Pray Vote Stand Rally in Cleveland, Georgia, and what is at stake in the Georgia runoffs. 
• Dean Nelson, FRC’s Senior Fellow for African American Affairs and the Executive Director of Human Coalition Action, on over 25 black ministers signing a letter to U.S. Senate candidate Raphael Warnock urging him to reconsider his stance on abortion, and on FRC Action’s Georgia pastor briefing on Thursday. 
• Will Haun, Counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, on the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington suing D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser over her 50 person limit on houses of worship. 
• Dr. Michelle Cretella, Executive Director of the American College of Pediatricians, on the FDA’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine and concerns over whether the vaccine will be mandated.

On this special "Faith & Freedom" edition of Washington Watch, we feature Doug Lamborn, U.S. Representative for the 5^th district of Colorado and Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee, and Vicky Hartzler, U.S. Representative for the 4^th district of Missouri, Member of the House Armed Services and Agriculture Committees, and Chair of the House Values Action Team. Rep. Lamborn shares how his father, a World War II combat veteran and corrections officer, led by example, demonstrating for his son that leaders must exhibit humility, placing service before themselves. He shares his journey of faith, and how his biblical worldview has informed his values and policy decisions. Rep. Hartzler shares how her faith has instilled in her a passion for service. She discusses how her commitment to Christ has been her foundation in her various roles, from a wife and mother, small business owner, former public school teacher, and now, as a Congresswoman. 

oday’s show features: 

• Dr. Andy Harris, U.S. Representative for the 1^st district of Maryland, Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, on House Democrats holding hearings on eliminating the Hyde Amendment that protects taxpayers from being forced to pay for abortion. 
• Ryan Tucker, Senior Counsel and Director of the Center for Christian Ministries for Alliance Defending Freedom, on ADF’s oral arguments Tuesday before the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the Nevada governor’s rule treating churches worse than casinos. 
• Stephen Moore, Economist, Co-founder of the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, and a member of President Trump’s Economic Recovery Task Force, on Joe Biden’s plans for the U.S. to rejoin the Paris Climate Accords and the effect that would have on America and the economy.
• J. Christian Adams, President and General Counsel at Public Interest Legal Foundation, on the latest on the Trump campaign lawsuit challenging the Georgia election. 

Today’s show features: 

• Cleta Mitchell, Election Law Attorney, on the Trump Campaign filing a lawsuit challenging the Georgia election. 
• James Lankford, U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, on 38 Senate Republicans filing a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reaffirm that religious liberty still exists in a pandemic.
• Pete Hutchison, Esq., President of the Landmark legal Foundation, on U.S. Representative Mike Kelly’s (R-Pa.) lawsuit before the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the Pennsylvania election. 
• Dan Celia, President and CEO of Financial Issues Stewardship Ministries, and Host of “Financial Issues,” on the prospects for the U.S. economy, and on Nasdaq’s proposal filed with the Securities and Exchanges Commission that threatens to drop companies from the stock exchange that don't meet certain LGBT, race, and gender quotas on their boards of directors.

On this special "Faith & Freedom" edition of Washington Watch, we feature Mike Conaway, U.S. Representative for the 11^th district of Texas, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, and Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Congressman-elect Pete Sessions, who will be representing the 17^th district of Texas. Rep. Conaway shares heartwarming memories of his mother’s dedication to attending church every Sunday and how serving in office has strengthened his reliance on the Lord. He also reflects on his time in Congress as he nears retirement at the end of his term. Sessions discusses how his parents impressed upon him a sense of duty and integrity for all positions of public service, that ultimately led to a decision to return to Congress. He also shares about the key moments in his life – like the birth of a child with Down Syndrome – that pointed him back to a loving Creator.

Today’s show features: 

• Roger Marshall, U.S. Senator elect from Kansas, on Joe Biden's plans to change abortion and health care policy. 
• Paul Kengor, Professor of Political Science at Grove City College, on a stunning testimony regarding the Pennsylvania election that the media has dutifully ignored.
• Nury Turkel, Commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Chairman of the Board for the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), on Nike, Coca-Cola, and others reportedly lobbying against a bill banning imports from Chinese regions that use Uyghur forced labor.
• George Barna, President of Metaformation Inc., FRC’s Senior Research Fellow for Christian Ethics and Biblical Worldview, and the Director of Research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, on his post-election survey showing a record turnout from conservative Christian SAGE Cons.

Today’s show features: 

• Roy Blunt, U.S. Senator from Missouri, Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, and the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, on the contested election, the prospects for Joe Biden’s nominees in the U.S. Senate, and what’s at stake in the Georgia Senate runoffs.
• Cleta Mitchell, election law attorney, on the recount resuming in Georgia and her filing today with the Georgia Secretary of State. 
• Stephanie Borowicz, Pennsylvania State Representative, on the resolution she is co-sponsoring disputing the Pennsylvania election.
• Joe Davis, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, on the U.S. Supreme Court blocking strict COVID-19 restrictions on New York houses of worship.

On this special "Faith & Freedom" edition of Washington Watch, we feature Senator Kevin Cramer, U.S. Senator from North Dakota, and Rep. Chip Roy, who represents Texas's congressional 21^st district. Sen. Cramer discusses how he views public service as a ministry and calling and opens up about keeping an eternal perspective in times of great joy and loss – specifically the tragic loss of his son, Isaac, in 2018. Rep. Roy shares how his faith journey with the Lord informs his passion for defending our fundamental freedoms. He also talks about trusting God and persevering amidst a surprising cancer diagnosis at 39 years old. 

Today’s show features: 

• Dr. Paul Jehle, Executive Director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation, on why the Pilgrims came to America and how they shaped the nation. 
• Michele Bachmann, former U.S. Representative from Minnesota, on the state of religious freedom in the nation today, 400 years after the Pilgrims came to America seeking freedom to worship.
• Pastor Carter Conlon, General Overseer of Times Square Church, on the way forward to keep the Pilgrims’ founding vision alive and prospering. 

Today’s show features:  

• Jay Richards, Research Assistant Professor in the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America and Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, on his new book, “The Prince of Panic: How the Tyranny Experts Turned a Pandemic into a Catastrophe.”
• John Cribb, author, on his new book, “Old Abe.” 
• Arielle Del Turco, FRC’s Assistant Director of the Center for Religious Liberty, on her new publication, “Criminalizing Conscience: The Status of Apostasy, Blasphemy, and Anti-Conversion Laws Around the World.”
• David Closson, FRC’s Director of Christian Ethics and Biblical Worldview, on a biblical perspective of Thanksgiving.

Today’s show features: 

• Katherine Beck Johnson, FRC’s Research Fellow for Legal and Policy Studies, on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the right of Texas and Louisiana to end government funding of Planned Parenthood through the states’ Medicaid program, the Sixth Circuit upholding Tennessee law prohibiting abortion based on the race, gender, or diagnosis of Down syndrome of the child.
• Peter Sprigg, FRC’s Senior Fellow for Policy Studies, on his new publication, "No Proof of Harm: 79 Key Studies Provide No Scientific Proof That Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) Are Usually Harmful."
• Caleb Lyman, Director of Research and Analytics at the Becket Fund on Religious Liberty, on their new faith survey showing that Generation Z Americans are more likely to say faith has been ‘important’ during the pandemic than any other generation.
• John Cooper, Skillet music artist, on his new book “Awake & Alive to Truth -- Finding Truth In A Relativistic World.” 

Today’s show features: 

• Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, on Israel Prime Minister Benjamin meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and the potential impact of a Biden presidency on Israel. 
• Samah Norquist, USAID Chief Advisor, on her speech at a recent International Christian Concern event highlighting some of the Trump administration's religious freedom efforts over the past four years and the President’s executive order on international religious freedom. 
• Rebecca Mansour, Senior-Editor-At Large at Breitbart, on totalitarian governors issuing COVID restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas. 
• Franklin Graham, President of Samaritan’s Purse, on Operation Christmas Child and his reflections on Thanksgiving.