Skip to content 6/11/2026 Tony and Guests Explore Concerns Over Domestic and Foreign Security, as Well as Our Water Supply Jun 11 · 54 min ...more
6/11/2026 Tony and Guests Explore Concerns Over Domestic and Foreign Security, as Well as Our Water Supply
June 11, 2026 · 54 min
FISA failed to pass in the U.S. House as members grapple with balancing security, freedom, and political divides. President Trump insists that Congress pass the SAVE America Act and claims an agreement between the U.S. and Iran may finally be reached this weekend. Multiple state Attorneys General push for the EPA to investigate whether our water supply is polluted with abortion chemicals.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio
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June 11, 2026 · 54 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio
FISA failed to pass in the U.S. House as members grapple with balancing security, freedom, and political divides. President Trump insists that Congress pass the SAVE America Act and claims an agreement between the U.S. and Iran may finally be reached this weekend. Multiple state Attorneys General push for the EPA to investigate whether our water supply is polluted with abortion chemicals. ...more Show the full description Show less FISA failed to pass in the U.S. House as members grapple with balancing security, freedom, and political divides. President Trump insists that Congress pass the SAVE America Act and claims an agreement between the U.S. and Iran may finally be reached this weekend. Multiple state Attorneys General push for the EPA to investigate whether our water supply is polluted with abortion chemicals.
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In this video 0:00 Breaking News: FISA Deadline and Iran Peace Framework6:00 FISA Reforms, Security vs. Freedom, and Reconciliation Strategy15:00 Freedom's Purpose, Prayer, and Parental Rights Battle25:00 Abortion Drugs Polluting Water: EPA Investigation Urged41:00 Spiritual Battle: Repentance for Freedom and Security
Breaking News: FISA Deadline and Iran Peace Framework 0:01 From the heart of our nation's capital in Washington, DC, bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and sound bites into conversations with our nation's leaders and0:12 newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.0:19 We just made a great settlement of the war with the red, and we're gonna be, subject to finalization of documents we should get done over the next few0:31 days. We probably have a signing maybe in Europe, and, it's a great thing. Stock market's up 1000 points. That means they like the deal. See, that means they like when the market goes0:43 down, that means they don't like the deal.0:45 That was president Donald Trump earlier this afternoon announcing that the United States and Iran have agreed to the final framework of a peace deal and that a formal signing is expected.0:58 Welcome to this Thursday, June 11th edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, coming up, as president Trump says a peace deal with Iran is within reach, Congress1:09 has failed to extend a key foreign intelligence surveillance tool under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act commonly known as FISA. The surveillance tool has been an important asset in
1:21 identifying threats from hostile foreign actors, but repeated abuses have undermined public confidence and stalled reauthorization efforts. Congressman Andy Harris joins us, a little
1:33 bit later to discuss what reforms are needed to restore trust and secure the program's future. Plus, congressman Tim Wahlberg breaks down the key takeaways from a Capitol Hill hearing examining growing attack
1:45 attacks on parental rights and the role of parents in directing their children's education. And beyond Washington, concerns are growing over whether chemicals associated with abortion drugs are entering America's
1:58 America's water supply, prompting a coalition of state attorneys general to ask the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate. Missouri attorney general Kath Katherine Hannaway joins us with the details. All
2:10 of that and more straight ahead. Alright. Let's start with some news here in Washington DC. A tool to monitor hostile foreign activity
2:22 toward the US, section 7 0 2 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire tomorrow after the US House of Representatives rejected a short term extension of it. Joining us now
2:34 to discuss this and more is Washington Sand reporter Casey Harper. Alright. What's the latest on this, Casey?
2:40 Yeah. Thanks, Tony. As you mentioned, hard deadline. Tomorrow at midnight, this expires. So everyone was watching this vote closely today. But in a 2 18 to 1 98 vote, the house blocked a measure that would have extended
2:51 the spy powers 3 weeks into July 2nd so they can maybe hammer out some of the, the details here. Now 19 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against that temporary extension of section 7 0 2, but
3:03 house speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of using the statute as a political hostage.
3:08 Those things are in jeopardy right now because the foreign intelligence surveillance act is exactly what the name implies. It is how we monitor terrorists who are plotting and planning dangerous events in the country, in
3:19 our homeland. The reason we have not had a mass casualty event like 9 11 since that great tragedy is because we have this statute. And today, the Democrats in the house just voted it down. 199 of
3:31 them voted against it, and they applaud it.
3:34 Now the Republicans who voted against this measure have expressed concerns and wanting reform to the program, but generally support it. The Democrats, as the speaker mentioned, by and large who who opposed it, they were
3:45 more upset over Bill Pulte, who president Trump tapped to be the acting director of national intelligence. Meanwhile, over in the other chamber, senate Democrats squashed a Republican attempt to pass any,
3:57 FISA authorization.
3:59 Alright. We're gonna be watching that. Congress is leaving town, so nothing's gonna happen over the next week. Be very, very, interesting. Certainly something to pray about. Well, speaking of the Department of National
4:09 Intelligence, president Trump has nominated Jay Clayton to be its next director.
4:15 Yeah. That's right, actually. I mean, that we'll see if that actually moves the ball for Democrats. It it's giving them really what they wanted. Clayton is the chief prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, and
4:26 he was picked after all that pushback over Pulte, who I I just mentioned president Trump chose. Now Clayton's bio quickly, he he's a former US Securities and Exchange Commission chair who also is a prosecutor who's
4:38 handled some pretty big cases, including the indictment of on on narcoterrorism charges of the deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Now, Tony, whether or not this is enough to, get
4:49 Democrats back into town to, sign off on FISA authorization remains to be seen.
4:56 Let's, let's go to the Middle East. President Trump talked about military strikes against Iran, hitting them hard, then he pulled them back. And then later this afternoon, announced that a peace agreement, at
5:08 least the framework of that was prepare being prepared, ready to be signed, possibly as early as next week. But have we heard that before?
5:17 Yeah. Yeah. We have. I mean, covering this, as a reporter has been whiplash because president Trump said some of the strongest comments he's he's had earlier today. He said that the the peace deal had not been approved,
5:27 and we we're even gonna take Kharg Island, which would be a major escalation, possible troops on the ground on the Kharg Island, the island, of course, off the coast of Iran. That's a major, shipping point for the oil to
5:39 get out of Iran. And then we have this announcement from the president that comes just hours after that threat that said we may have this deal. But as you said, we've heard this before. Iran has not, confirmed this deal,
5:51 which will be important to watch out for. We're sort of conducting diplomacy via True Social, which makes it a little complicated, Tony.
5:58 Alright. Well, I don't have a True Social account, so I can't keep up with that. Right. Alright, Casey. We'll talk to you a little bit later. Thanks for, the update. Thanks. Alright. I wanna turn back to today's vote on
FISA Reforms, Security vs. Freedom, and Reconciliation Strategy
6:09 a short term extension for section 7 0 2 of FISA. Joining us now to discuss this is congressman doctor Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and a member of the House
6:21 Appropriations Committee. He represents the 1st congressional district of Maryland. Doctor Harris, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
6:29 Good to be with you, Tony.
6:31 Alright. So this was a clean short term extension. No changes to it. It was to give time to to work out the details. Primarily, the 2 issues at play here is Bill
6:42 Pulte, concerns on the Democratic side over him, and some Republicans. But, primarily, the Republican concern was over the abuses of FISA. Am I
6:51 correct? That's right. We think that, it should not be a clean long term, reauthorization, so we shouldn't go for a year and a half or 2 or 3 years under the same policy. We did this 18
7:03 months ago. It's time to revisit it. It's time to see if further changes are needed. We think there are. We think there are other protections because technology advanced, for instance, as you can imagine. So we need to
7:14 make sure that, we keep the 4th Amendment, you know, as it as it needs to be kept to protect, US citizens, during this, you know, the these advances in technology. So we
7:26 and we we are making progress. We're making slow but steady progress toward coming to an agreement, to put the guardrails on for US citizens, as I said. We needed a 3 week
7:38 extension. Again, unfortunately, you know, the vast majority of Democrats voted against that extension. I look. I voted for the extension. I think as long as progress is being made, we we should not what
7:50 we call let it go dark. But I will tell you, I think the administration has the authorities it will need, not lasting into the everlasting future. But they they have we believe they have the
8:02 authorities they need keep this going short term while we hammer out the differences.
8:06 Well, I assume that may be the case, seeing that the house has adjourned, until, week after next. I I I I wouldn't think that, the speaker would, you know, just kinda
8:18 let this thing die as much as he believes, in those protective tools that are in FISA. But but I wanna say this, doctor Harris, I do appreciate the the fact that we have the Freedom
8:30 Caucus and others understand the importance of this tool, but at the same time, understand the constitutional boundaries that need to be in place. I mean, if we, you know, if we lose them
8:42 now, we're not gonna regain those constitutional freedoms that are would be trampled upon.
8:47 That's absolutely right. And we know in the past, there have been abuses. That led to the group of the bunch of reforms we did 18 months ago, but, again, we need to revisit it. You know, we made over 5 4
8:59 dozen changes to the law then. I don't think we got all the changes we need. There are a few more that, again, especially with the acceleration of technology, the ability of, for instance, artificial intelligence to
9:10 review some of the data. We need to make sure that if an American is caught up in this communication with, with, you know, foreign, suspects, that that the proper protections
9:22 are in place. And again, we're making progress. We're almost there, and what you know, I think I think we'll have this solved before the August recess. I think that we're gonna come to an agreement that
9:34 that that adds protections for, for making spying on Americans much less likely using this law.
9:42 So so doctor Harris, you feel confident that the administration can continue utilizing these tools short term that would protect America from, hostile foreign actors?
9:54 That's right.
9:55 The way the way the law was set up, the court back in March actually authorized the, surveillance for another year. So, technically, although the law doesn't exist, the FISA court has ordered the
10:06 surveillance to continue for another year. We look. We want the law to exist because without the law, we don't have any guardrails. We need the guardrails. That was proved, during the during the last administration. We
10:18 need guardrails because without them, the FBI and the intelligence community can abuse the system. So we do need to reauthorize this at some point, but we believe and I think it's true. I think you're absolutely right.
10:29 That's why we're not in session now because the administration has the authorities it needs in the short term to deal with this.
10:35 Yeah. Well, again, I I commend those members who are concerned about both security and freedom. And, you know, America has this unique, it's unique in
10:47 the history of mankind that we have such unprecedented freedom, but at the same time, we've enjoyed great security. And balancing those 2 are, very, very important. You're on appropriations,
10:59 doctor Harris. I wanna move to, reconciliation. Reconciliation 2 signed into law by the president yesterday. Many didn't think it would happen. It did happen. There's talk in the house of a 3rd. The senate's been
11:11 somewhat dismissive of the idea of a 3rd reconciliation. What do you see happening?
11:16 Well, I hope we do get to a 3rd reconciliation because there are several things that we need to do. 1 is we need to replenish the armaments that that we used while we took away Iran's nuclear capability. The 2nd 1 is we
11:28 need to extend, the ban on, Planned Parenthood funding, which runs out, as you know, in July. And the 3rd thing we need to do is the Democrats are gonna wanna shut the government down on October 1st again. They know it.
11:40 They like chaos. Chuck Schumer wants that chaos. He wants to try to win the senate back. He's gonna shut the government down. We should use the 3rd reconciliation bill to fund the important aspects of the government for
11:51 a couple of months, get it past the election so the political games can't be played. So fund TSA, fund FAA, fund our military troops pay, you know, fund, the food programs, all the things that
12:02 Democrats would use as leverage in a shutdown, with the American people.
12:07 You know, there this this has become such a regular occurrence, and I know legislation has been introduced regarding keeping government moving if there is not an agreement on
12:19 the appropriations. It wouldn't increase spending, but it could dial it down over time if an agreement not is not reached. What are the prospects of something like that actually making
12:31 its way through so they were not, you know, the the the minorities the minority party, the Democrats in this case, can't keep the the hold the government hostage?
12:41 Look. The Freedom Caucus has been talking about this for months. We think this should have been done months ago. We think that it's gonna be very difficult to get it past the senate right now because Chuck Schumer does
12:49 have the plan for the shutdown, so we're gonna have to do it through reconciliation with only, Republican votes. But in the end, it's about time we realize that that shutdowns have been used as political weapons. It's
13:00 unfair because Americans get caught in the middle. We should pass laws that allow short term extensions of government funding, again, when it's and it's usually the Democrats refused to keep the
13:12 government open.
13:13 Just 30 seconds left, doctor Harris. But just to point out that the house has actually advanced its appropriations bills, it's the senate that has not.
13:22 That's absolutely right. Just last night, we spent until 1 in the morning advancing the 11th of 12 bills, only defenses left, and that we'll get to that as well. The senate, meanwhile, has passed 0.
13:35 So, yes, we are winning 11 to nothing. I don't wanna win that game. I want that be
13:40 a tie.
13:40 I want, the appropriations process to go forward.
13:43 But the big news here is that the house has rediscovered its, appropriations muscle, and it is it is now back to normal appropriations. We just gotta get the senate to go along. Doctor Harris, thanks so much
13:54 for, joining us. Alright, folks. Stick with us. We're back after this.
14:01 Join us for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action at this year's pray vote stand summit at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia. Hear from Christian leaders, issue experts, and government
14:13 officials as we work together to build a foundation based on biblical truth. Early bird special tickets are on sale for 69 dollars when you register by Monday, June 15th. To register, visit
14:24 pray boat stand dot org. That's pray boat stand dot org.
14:31 Exodus chapter 9 verse 1 says, thus says the lord god of the Hebrews, let my people go that they may serve me. You see America has freedom for a
14:42 purpose. The question is, are we living by that purpose today? In scripture, deliverance and
14:54 freedom is never an end in itself. It is a liberation unto obedience, to worship,
Freedom's Purpose, Prayer, and Parental Rights Battle
15:06 pharaoh was not freedom for freedom sake, but freedom so his people could identify with and belong to and serve him. Freedom is not used to serve
15:18 God will not endure. 1 of the founders actually echoed a similar warning Thomas Jefferson wrote, indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that
15:30 God is just and his justice cannot sleep forever. See the founders understood we as a nation would be
15:42 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
15:54 purpose to serve God, to honor him, and to live as a people under his authority. In this 250th anniversary year, we
16:05 must ask the question, are we living by that purpose today as a nation? Lord, we thank you for the godly
16:18 foundation and heritage of our states. Lord, we would return to an understanding of the freedom that you've granted to us. That freedom has a name. His name is Jesus. And freedom has a
16:29 purpose. It is to honor and glorify you. And I pray that our nation would return to that understanding of the purpose of the freedom that you have granted to
16:41 us. We thank you father. By faith, we pray that we would return to that purpose. In Jesus name we pray.
17:01 Amen. Alright. Welcome back to this Thursday edition of Washington Watch. We're just weeks away from America's 250th anniversary when we'll celebrate the day that 56 courageous
17:13 men risked everything for the cause of freedom. And at this historic moment in the life of our nation, I I believe it is absolutely necessary that we do what the
17:25 founders did. They they affirmed they called upon God. They declared their dependence on almighty God in order to secure their independence. And I think we need to
17:37 reaffirm reaffirm that. So as a part of FRC's defend our founding freedoms campaign, we challenge you. I wanna challenge you to sign our declaration of dependence. So to sign the pledge, simply text
17:49 America to 6 7 7 4 2. That's America to 6 7 7 4 2, and join us in standing firm for what our founders fought for. Alright. Superintendents
18:00 from 3 major public school districts testified testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee yesterday to address questions about parental rights and woke school policies.
18:13 Among the issues discussed were how schools are hiding the social gender transition of students from their parents and how they are allowing boys to go into girls' restrooms and even share rooms with them
18:25 on field trips. So what did the hearing reveal? Joining us now to discuss this is the chairman of the committee, congressman Tim Wahlberg. He chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee. He
18:36 represents the 5th congressional district of Michigan. Chairman Wahlberg, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
18:43 Well, it's always good to be with you. Thanks for having me.
18:46 Now I I wanna get your thoughts on, the testimonies that were offered yesterday. I 1st off, I wanna commend you for having the hearing, but I wanna get your reaction to what was said yesterday.
18:57 Well, we all remember the story about the emperor's new clothes, and that's pretty much what we heard yesterday. 3 superintendents, and I guess I could let San Francisco off a bit because, you know,
19:09 San Francisco is what it is. And probably, many of the parents in that San Francisco Unified School System would agree with some of the craziness about transgender and all of the rest that
19:21 a boy can be a girl, a girl can be a boy. That that I could see. But in Loudoun County, Virginia and in Chicago, and I grew up in the south side of Chicago. Thankfully, I didn't go to
19:33 Chicago public school system today. It would have been well, I wouldn't be in the system. So what what we saw there was was superintendents that had lost their moral
19:45 clarity, lost their minds as it were about fact versus fiction, biology and science versus makeup. And, they
19:57 proved it yesterday in being totally in unable to in in a substantiated way, define why they allowed things happen in their school districts. And, of
20:09 course, Chicago kept saying, we abide by, state and and local ordinances and requirements. No evidence that they have a moral clarity or moral compass
20:20 themselves.
20:22 Chairman Wahlberg, was there any discussion over the mission of public education?
20:28 Oh, absolutely.
20:29 Yeah. What is the mission of public education?
20:32 To educate children. That's it. To educate children, in in the facts of both reading, writing, and arithmetic and being a good citizen.
20:45 That's the key. It's not these cultural things that they're trying to do, change agentry, a drag queen story hour, and and and the like. It's it's not it's
20:57 not allowing kids to be who they allegedly want to be in spite of what their parents might think about it.
21:04 Right.
21:04 And they're not to be the change agents going against the traditional values of of their parents and of our society.
21:13 Well, and and not just going against it, but hiding hiding it from the parents. That's 1 of the big issues. I wanna play a clip of your exchange with the, the superintendent,
21:25 doctor Maria Hsu of of the San Francisco United School District. I I think, you know, when you look at the failing test scores on those fundamental,
21:36 elements, reading, writing, those thing. And then you look at where they're focusing their attention. Play play clip number 7.
21:42 What age are students prepared for drag queen story hour?
21:47 Well, we welcome all 49000 students as they are. We support our students. We work really hard.
21:54 At what age do you think it's appropriate for drag queen story hour for your students?
22:01 We follow state and federal laws.
22:07 How is that advancing the successful advancement of the education of children?
22:14 It isn't. It's destroying children. As I said in my opening statement before we started the testimonies and questioning time, I said, I would see this with what the
22:25 superintendents are doing as a child abuse and neglect. And and that's what it is. In in in a in a common sense world, we would take a child and say,
22:37 listen. That's how you feel now, but let me affirm you for who you are even if they didn't say who god made you. Who you are. You're male. You're female. Let's
22:49 develop that, and and and let's work through whatever is causing you to have those type of doubts. That would be an educator working on truth. Remember, doctor Fauci told us to follow the science.
23:00 Right?
23:01 Right.
23:01 Well, the science has always said that there are males and females. That's it. That's it. It's it it doesn't change. And so for these superintendents to respond the way they responded, it's
23:13 untenable that we would think that they could produce quality education. Of course, we saw the NAEP scores come out that very day, and I made comment on on that of the regression that we've seen.
23:25 Chicago Public Schools, for instance, there was a graph that we had that showed the amount of money increased between 2013 and 2024 as being 97
23:36 percent increase. And yet the decline in, in academics, specifically in reading and arithmetic, dropped to as much as 73 percent below grade. Wow.
23:48 That's that shows that something's missing. We're putting money into the system. We're putting money into superintendent's pocketbooks. Books. We're putting money into trips and all of the rest. We're putting money into
24:00 drag queen shows, but we're not training kids how to read and write and compute and carry on with life. And, oh, by the way, to understand the traditional values that made this
24:12 country great, including our civics.
24:15 20 seconds left. Do you think we're at a pivotal point where we're turning education? Are there some places that are just beyond reach?
24:23 I think some are beyond reach, and they're pushing back. These these 3 schools certainly are pushing back. We wanted to highlight them. They're some of the most egregious. There are others. But this gives parents another
24:34 view that they saw in COVID for the 1st time and caused them to pull them out by mass numbers to home educate, to put them in private schools, Christian schools. I mean, when I had to confront the
24:46 the the superintendent of Chicago who had said that, in fact, disallowed Moody Bible Institute students from doing student teaching in the Chicago public school system.
24:57 Tim, we gotta leave it there, Tim. Folks, stick with us.Show more
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