Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the arrest of more conspirators in the plot to attack governing officials and business leaders at the Freedom 250 UFC event held at the White House on June 14. The Department of Homeland Security reported that the mastermind behind the plot was a Mexican national who came to the U.S. on a B-2 visitor visa, which expired in 2001. He remained in the country after receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in 2014. The suspect, who allegedly planned sniper positions, drone launch sites, and escape routes, now has an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer against him.
Pray for DOJ, FBI, DHS, and ICE officials as they seek to bring would-be terrorists to justice.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
The House of Representatives is considering bipartisan internet safety legislation for children. Members of the lower chamber have revised the bill to include data privacy protections for children and adolescents, and have agreed that the federal regulations would only preempt state laws where they conflict. Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Frank Pallone of New Jersey jointly stated they had “found common ground on policies to significantly improve the digital environment for kids.”
Pray for members of Congress to receive God’s wisdom as they work on regulations to protect children and teens online.
PRAY FOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri proposed a congressional committee hearing to investigate Major League Baseball MLB) after the organization warned three San Francisco players for writing Bible verses on their rainbow-themed Pride Night hats. Pointing out that MLB has not consistently prohibited “writing of any kind,” Senator Hawley highlighted, “Americans of every creed are entitled to confidence that the institutions of our national pastime will not single out religious expression for punishment while celebrating messages of the league’s own choosing.” The senator later relayed that the MLB commissioner assured him no players would be fined or disciplined for their religious beliefs. The commissioner also stated that Giants team leadership had not clearly communicated that wearing the rainbow-themed apparel was not mandatory.
Pray for senators and representatives as they seek to uphold the rights of Americans to freely exercise their religion.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
The Supreme Court ruled that a Louisiana prisoner whose head was shaved, despite having a court order stating he could keep his long hair for religious reasons, does not have the right to sue officials for damages under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion upholding the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
Pray for Supreme Court justices as they deliberate on the final decisions of this current term.
