Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced the 10-year government-wide ban against a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) official affiliated with terrorism. After President Donald Trump removed U.S. funding from UNRWA, USAID’s OIG determined that the official was complicit in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The debarment means the official is “prohibited from participating in all United States contracting and grant activities.”
Pray for wisdom for inspectors general throughout federal agencies as they seek to protect U.S. security and interests.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota addressed concerns about U.S. citizens being stranded in the Middle East. “Everybody is taking the steps which I hope will lead to sufficient availability of aircraft to get people out,” said Senator Thune. “I think that you will see a ramped-up, intensified effort to ensure that Americans are being evacuated from the region, and I suspect that’s going to involve a good amount of investment and air assets to get people out of there.”
Pray for members of Congress as they work to ensure U.S. citizens are able to safely depart the Middle East.
PRAY FOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer of Kentucky, held its second hearing into the fraud and misuse of federal funding in Minnesota on Wednesday. Governor Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison answered questions from the panel on the lack of oversight and vetting of care program providers who fraudulently received billions in taxpayer funds. Chairman Comer stated that the hearings reflect Congress’ duty “to conduct rigorous oversight of this heist and enact stronger safeguards.”
Pray for the chairs and members of House and Senate committees as they seek to ensure appropriations are used in the manner Congress intends.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
The Supreme Court issued an unsigned order this week blocking a California law that the 9th Circuit had upheld, which required schools and teachers to keep the sex-rejecting identity of students hidden from their parents. “The parents who assert a free exercise claim have sincere religious beliefs about sex and gender, and they feel a religious obligation to raise their children in accordance with those beliefs,” the high court majority wrote. “We conclude that the parents who seek religious exemptions are likely to succeed on the merits of their Free Exercise Clause claim.”
Pray for the justices and judges of the federal judiciary as they hear and rule on cases regarding religious liberties and freedom of speech.
