Skip to content 11/7/2025 Today’s Program Look at Domestic Travel, Immigration, Assimilation, and Good News for Israel Nov 7 · 54 min ...more
11/7/2025 Today’s Program Look at Domestic Travel, Immigration, Assimilation, and Good News for Israel
November 7, 2025 · 54 min
A look at the federal shutdown’s impact on air travel and welfare, good news emerging in the Middle East, court decisions eroding the transgender agenda, and mass migration’s impact on NYC’s election.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio November 7, 2025 · 54 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio
A look at the federal shutdown’s impact on air travel and welfare, good news emerging in the Middle East, court decisions eroding the transgender agenda, and mass migration’s impact on NYC’s election. ...more Show the full description Show less A look at the federal shutdown’s impact on air travel and welfare, good news emerging in the Middle East, court decisions eroding the transgender agenda, and mass migration’s impact on NYC’s election.
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In this video 0:00 Government Shutdown and Its Impact13:28 Transgender Policies and Legal Challenges24:41 Mass Immigration and Political Shifts33:36 Israel's Challenges and Global ImplicationsComments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Government Shutdown and Its Impact 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 and newsmakers,0:13 all from a biblical worldview, sitting in for Tony as today's host, Jody Hice.0:19 1, of course, is the focus not on the American people, but how to ensure Democrats win the next election. And 2 is the fact that progressive Democrats0:31 apparently want to keep this shutdown going forever. We're on day 38 of Democrat shutdown.0:42 That was senate majority leader John Thune earlier today on the senate floor as this Democrat led shutdown now enters day 38. Welcome0:54 to this November seventh edition of Washington Watch. I am your Friday host, Jody Heise. Thank you so much for tuning in. Alright. Coming up today, the Supreme Court green1:06 lights the Trump administration's rule requiring US passports to list one's biological sex, not one's gender identity. So what does this ruling mean for the1:17 left's transgender agenda? Well, Ohio attorney general Dave Yost will be joining me in a little while to break all of that down. Also, congressman Burgess Owens from Utah will1:29 join me here in just a few moments to discuss the latest on the impact of the government shutdown.
1:41 Well, US airlines are cutting about 4 percent of flights across 40 major airports due to safety concerns that are tied to the ongoing government shutdown.
1:53 Transportation secretary Sean Duffy says that the reductions could increase to as much as 10 percent as early as next week if the shutdown continues. And
2:05 joining me now is Washington stand reporter, Casey Harper. Casey, let's, let's start with this issue. What's going on with all these flight delays and, the slowdowns,
2:18 cancellations? What's the latest we have?
2:20 Yeah, Jody. It doesn't look good. As you said, US airlines are slashing flights as this record long government shutdown means fewer air traffic controllers and TSA agents who are willing to work. And who can blame them?
2:31 They're not getting paid. So starting today, about 850 flights from American, Delta, Southwest, and United are being canceled. Here's what transportation secretary Sean Duffy said earlier today.
2:42 Today is the first day 4 percent reduction. 4 days later, another 2 percent. 2 days after that, 2 percent, and then, you know, 2 percent on. And and what I'm hoping to do is, again,
2:54 take the pressure and more risk out of the system. I'm trying to minimize the risk through this government shutdown, and and and bring us to our, a a matrix that
3:06 matches what we had before the shutdown.
3:09 So that means the cuts could rise to 6 percent on Tuesday and 10 percent by next week if the shutdown continues. As you know, we head into the Thanksgiving holiday. So officials are pointing to safety concerns, which
3:20 includes stress controllers and even some incidents, Jody, of planes not maintaining the proper distance of separation. However, airlines are saying most passengers are being rebooked quickly, but disruptions are
3:32 expected to get worse. The shutdown has forced 13000 air traffic controllers and 50000 TSA workers to work without pay if they're willing to work at all. Meanwhile, the FAA is
3:43 delaying flights and even restricting space launches to manage these staff shortages. At the same time, we're seeing other effects. The Trump administration has asked a federal appeals court to block a judge's
3:55 order that required full November food stamp payments be made to 42000000 Americans. The DOJ is arguing, hey. Only Congress can authorize federal spending, which leaves millions of low income households with
4:07 partial SNAP benefits amid the shutdown.
4:11 So, Casey, what's happening over in the senate? Are are, I mean, are lawmakers there responding to the air travel chaos? Are they really working to try to bring an end to this government shutdown?
4:24 Well, Donnie, they're working on it, but they're not making any progress at least yet. And they may go through the weekend as we're now on day 38. In fact, senate majority leader, is urging lawmakers to, quote, end these
4:35 weeks of misery. But earlier today on the senate floor, no surprise, Democrats demanded an extension of Obamacare subsidies once again. Here's what minority leader Chuck Schumer said.
4:46 Democrats are offering a very simple compromise. Democrats are ready to clear the way to quickly pass a government funding bill that includes health care affordability. Leader
4:58 Thune just needs to add a clean 1 year extension of the ACA tax credits to the CR so that we can immediately address rising health care costs.
5:10 The senate is set to recess next week, but with the shutdown causing travel chaos, lawmakers may stay through this week. And in fact, leader Thune has suggested he may make them stay through the entire weekend to keep
5:22 working.
5:24 Well, thank you, Casey. Before I let you go, let me let me turn real quickly to some international news as, we have been watching president Trump is working to expand the,
5:36 Abraham accords. What's the latest that you're hearing on that?
5:39 Yeah, Jody. We do have an update on that, actually. President Trump announced that Kazakhstan backed initiative that connects Israel with Arab and Muslim majority
5:51 nations. Now this connection of the of joining of Kazakhstan is largely symbolic since that nation has had good diplomatic relations with Israel since the early nineties, but it does signal a push for closer cooperation
6:03 in trade, defense, energy, and technology as well. So president Trump, he called it a major step forward in building bridges across the world as he hosted a summit with Central Asian leaders
6:14 yesterday at the White House. Meanwhile, tensions in Gaza remain high under this fragile ceasefire after hostilities and recent hostage releases. In fact, in Judea and Samaria or so called West
6:26 Bank, they're facing new tensions and fears after prisoner releases to the Palestinian Authority are raising concerns about increased violence. Jody?
6:36 Well well, I tell you, here at the Family Research Council, we certainly believe that peace in that region is going to require Israel to assert their own sovereignty over
6:48 the the biblical heartland there, while at the same time, continuing some diplomatic efforts like the Abraham Accords for sure. In fact, Chris Mitchell will be joining me a little bit
7:00 later in the program from Jerusalem to give the latest as to what's happening in Israel. Casey, thank you so much for these updates. As always, we appreciate it a great deal. Alright. I wanna go back
7:12 now to the topic of the government shutdown and its impact that is taking place on the American people, but I wanna do so from a congressional perspective. Joining me now to discuss
7:23 this is congressman Burgess Owens. He serves on the house committees on several committees, including the transportation and infrastructure, which right now is extremely busy. He represents the fourth congressional
7:35 district of Utah. Congressman Owens, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always great to see you.
7:42 Jody, same here. Look for the chat with me, my friend, for sure.
7:46 Alright. So let me let's start with this, really an unprecedented order from the Federal Aviation Administration, a reduction of 4 percent of domestic flights at some
7:58 40 major airports all across the United States. And as we understand, as as the days are moving forward, they'll increase it by 2 percent and potentially all the way up
8:10 to 20 percent of this shutdown doesn't come to an end. What what's what's your assessment, congressman, on the latest moves here by the FAA?
8:20 Well, Jody, I'll tell you what I I see this is the democrats are showing to America what they've always thought about people who depended on them. And I'll go back to the black community, what they've done to us over the
8:30 last 6 years, destroyed the family, destroyed business ownership, destroyed the, the educational process because ignorant free can never be is what they believe in. If they can get out the base ignorant, they get get
8:42 them dependent and and anxious, they will get their they have the power to get their vote. So what we have right now, I think, is almost pathological. I I've never seen anything like it, Joe, to be honest with you. What
8:51 what everyone here knows in congress and senate that it takes a sixties vote margin, and we need 5 Democrats to vote yes. They vote no and walk directly to the camera and say that that
9:03 they're trying to keep the government open. It is it is something that once American people get it, they'll be like I did once I realized I was lied to. They're gonna leave forever. So I I think the key is right now
9:13 thank goodness we have president Trump at the head of our head of our party. He's a great messenger. He's a great strategic he's great with strategic strategy, and more importantly, he knows how to keep our party
9:23 together. So we just have to stay stay strong, get the message out to the American people, the the unions, the teamsters, the federal workers, everyone around this country. Those are trying to travel. This is what evil
9:35 does when they're trying to use you as leverage. They want you to be they want to use, abuse, and discard. And we're gonna finally let these people know it's not gonna work and and move forward and go ahead and build
9:44 this great country the way we we've always dreamed we could do in the past.
9:48 Yeah. It really is amazing as you describe how they will vote to shut the government down, go straight to a camera, and say we're trying to keep it open. I yeah. I've never I'm with you. I've never seen anything like
9:56 this. And, you know, I I look at the FAA and what they're doing now, cutting back on flights. And, look, I I don't know if you have. I've been in air traffic control before at 1 of
10:08 our major cities, and I these folks are under tremendous pressure. Some of them virtually hyperventilating, and now they're doing their job without getting paid. And then we have the Democrats claiming
10:20 to care about the American people. But at the same time, how can anyone believe that when they're holding our country hostage as they seem to be doing?
10:29 Well, and that and that's the the word for it. And and and you're right. The because the last 4 years, this industry has been under pressure for a while anyway because the last administration did nothing. I I I guess at
10:40 the end of the day, it comes down to very simple this. And I I applaud those who stay who's staying hanging in there and and and still trying to work through this process. But at some point, there's a breaking point. And
10:50 and, again, it it comes down to if you if you stop paying people to show up and they find out that they're at a very stressful period, they're gonna find other ways to to go to work. And meanwhile, our country comes to a
11:02 halt. And and keep this in mind, Joe, what this all comes down to, they have this strategy has always been about this insurance and Obamacare. That's what it's always been about. Something that they can never get passed
11:11 by with with with they passed by without not 1 Republican, vote. They came to it's come to an end because of they can't get Republican votes, and and now they wanna keep it going so they can understand this,
11:24 health care for all, the the socialist medicine process. So that's what they have been after, and all this pain is to get them to this point where they can make this case and try to get this moved forward for another
11:34 year.
11:35 Yeah. So you bring up a good point. I mean, what's happening now in the senate, you've got the democrats. They've named their prices, you just said, to reopen the government, and that is for the Obamacare subsidies
11:47 to continue for a year, something that Republicans have never ever ever voted for. So what's what's going to happen here? Certainly, where do you think the senate Republicans will cave to
11:59 that demand?
12:01 I I don't I don't personally and here's the thing. We have great leadership. We have a a very tight knit team between the senate, the, the house and president Trump. They're gonna come up with a strategy, and and I don't
12:12 think the the Democrats got the memo yet. President Trump, does not deal with hostage shaking. He does not deal with bullying. He's not that guy. He's he's not the old style Republican party guy.
12:23 So, I'm not sure how this will work out. But at the end of the day, the more we can educate the American people who these democrats are, they're not the Democrats of old. They're Marxists. They're they're socialists.
12:33 They hate our country, and they're willing to use anybody, use, abuse, and discard anyone to get their way, their power. So, I'm I'm gonna have faith that the president Trump and the leadership will come up with a way to
12:43 educate the American people, and then we'll move forward. Get them force them back to open up the government so we get get back to work and move forward.
12:50 Alright. Last question real quickly. Less than a minute left, but, senate majority leader Thune is expecting the senate stay in session over the weekend. Do you think we are getting close to ending
13:02 the shutdown?
13:03 I think the closer we get to, Thanksgiving, the more pressure on the Democrats. Their their base at some point, if they're not getting the what they have deserved what they deserve to have and their support, They're
13:14 gonna start asking questions, and they will find out it's the Democrats that's bringing this pain. And once that happens and they realize they can lose their power in the come upcoming, a year, they're gonna change their
13:24 way. So I'm looking forward to seeing that seeing that happen and and moving forward for sure.
Transgender Policies and Legal Challenges
13:29 Congressman Burgess Owens, Utah, it is always an honor to have you join us here on Washington Watch. Thank you so much for coming on board with us today.
13:38 Thank you, Jody. All the best, my friend. Take care.
13:41 Alright, friends. Coming up, we've got some encouraging court rulings on the transgender insanity issue. And Ohio attorney general Dave Yost will be joining me next,
13:53 so don't go anywhere. Much more Washington Watch coming your way. We'll be back in the morning.
14:00 Our founding scripture for this is Ephesians chapter 6 verse 13. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to
14:12 stand, stand therefore. Family Research Council's Pray, Vote, Stand Summit 20 25 brought together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a
14:24 time of prayer, inspiration, and action. We are equipping the body of Christ to understand that what is happening around us is not just political.
14:36 It's not just cultural. At its heart, it is spiritual.
14:40 We gather in a nation that has torn the foundation apart and we have separated our governing documents for my divine source, Jesus Christ. We need
14:52 truth now more than ever to guide us.
14:56 I'm believing, God, let this be a testimony of the American church, that we become so full of the fire of the word of God that we cannot contain it. We have to tell people about it.
15:08 We have to make disciples.
15:10 The idea of America was the idea that our rights don't come from governments. They they come from our divine creator. Right? Government's main job is to protect those rights. And because that was
15:22 the foundation of America, we've enjoyed over the last 250 years more freedom, more prosperity, more stability than any other nation anywhere in the world, and that should be celebrated.
15:33 We are living in a moment. What's that moment? It's a prophetic moment on God's timeline.
15:39 That's right.
15:39 And so he needs the church more than ever to act biblically for the blessing of our political leaders and of our nation.
15:48 The number 1 issue facing America domestically, which is the epidemic of fatherlessness. 40 percent of all American children today enter the world without a father in the home married to the
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16:14 We pray that this would be an opportunity, lord god, for you to use us mere little mortals, but we possess the name of Jesus. God, use us mightily. We pray in Jesus' name and all god's
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17:03 Good afternoon. Welcome back to Washington Watch. I'm your Friday host, Jody Heise. Thank you so much for joining us today. Alright. Yesterday, the US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration
17:15 to move forward with new rules requiring all US passports to display a citizen's biological sex rather than their gender identity. Now, you
17:27 may recall back in 20 21, the Biden administration allowed Americans to select X when it comes to their sex marker, for their passport instead of male
17:39 or female. Just put X. So what does the Supreme Court's ruling tell us about where they might be when it comes to the radical left's transgender crusade? We're here
17:51 now to discuss this and more is Ohio attorney general Dave Yost. He joined 25 other state AGs in supporting the Trump administration's passport
18:03 case. Attorney general Yost, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always great to have you, my friend.
18:08 It's good to see you, my friend.
18:11 Okay. So let me let's start by going back your, initial reactions years ago when the Biden administration first announced the passport policy. What were your
18:23 thoughts?
18:25 Well, I obviously, I was surprised and not happy. It's kinda what we lawyers call a legal fiction, and government documents sought to
18:37 reflect reality. Look. I don't care how you wanna live your life as an adult. This is a free country. But your government documents that say who you are
18:49 should reference who you are.
18:53 Yeah. So that was where I was exactly where I was leading with it. Did they have any, legal backing or any reasoning, the Biden administration, for using
19:05 x as a gender policy?
19:09 Well, I don't think they had any good reason. I mean, they couched it in terms of equal protection and, first amendment free expression. But as the supreme court
19:20 described in its very brief, order yesterday, that is, not really a valid argument.
19:31 So now we come up to where we are right now. You joined some other 25, state attorneys generals in an amicus brief as well as some leaders of the Arizona state legislature
19:43 supporting the Trump administration's passport case here. Why is this to you such an important issue and something something that we need to stand up
19:54 on right now? Well, there's a number of reasons. Obviously, the the baseline reality is there are 2 sexes, that's been across
20:06 cultures and across history, that we've understand there's male and female. So if you're part of the reality based community, I think it's you
20:17 want the your government to be, talking about those facts. It says nothing about someone's individual sense of their own identity, but it does go to whether those
20:29 government identity documents match your presence. Maybe equally important from a legal point of view, these passports
20:41 are the United States government's representation to foreign entities that this citizen notion
20:59 that a judge notion that a judge is allowed to tell the president in the exercise of his article to foreign power foreign, relations powers,
21:12 what he can and can't do with relation to those documents, absent some kind of fraud, waste, or abuse is, really problematic. We have
21:24 judges that are way outside their lane in this country. I don't mind saying that. It's not the entire judiciary. We've got some great judges who disagree with the president and still follow their oaths.
21:36 We also have some activist judges that are making it up as they go along, and I am glad that the Supreme Court restrained, this abuse of judicial power.
21:48 Yep. Absolutely. So how far reaching do you think this is gonna be? I mean, the Supreme Court, for example, is going to be deciding on a case later this year regarding a Colorado
22:00 Christian therapist who is prevented by state law from helping young people in that state who are distressed about their gender identity. I mean, some of these people want to,
22:12 achieve their chosen goal. I guess you could say to grow comfortable with their bodies while at the same time avoiding harmful drugs and procedures. So based on what the court has
22:23 said in this passport case, do you see this as any indication that may point towards how they might rule on other cases related to the whole
22:35 transgender crusade?
22:38 I think it's of limited value for that. Anybody that wants to predict what the court's going to do is, betting against the house in a in a way. Look. This was an
22:49 emergency docket decision, not a decision on the merits. It's, putting on hold the local activist trial court judge's ruling until, such time as it
23:01 comes up to the Supreme Court on the merits. Secondly, the Colorado case that you mentioned, which is a fascinating case, and I appreciate our friends over
23:13 at ADF who are are representing that, that, counselor. It's a different kind of case that sounds in the first amendment. It doesn't invoke the foreign affairs. So,
23:26 while I'm hopeful for that case, we'll have to watch the oral arguments and, wait for the decision.
23:34 Okay. Last question real quickly, and we've only got about a minute left, but a little bit closer to your neck of the woods. The sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against an Ohio school district on the
23:45 pronoun mandate. Your thoughts on that?
23:49 Well, it was it was a great decision by judge Murphy, of the sixth circuit. Olmutanji schools had a a rule that said you, students have to go
24:01 by, their colleagues' choice of pronouns and that you could be disciplined for harassment if you didn't. And the court said, no. You
24:14 that that doesn't qualify as harassment. School, you're allowed to actually police harassment, but you're not allowed to do it by controlling speech. First amendment still applies.
24:25 First, free speech still applies. This is still a free country.
24:31 Great, great decision indeed. Thank you so much, Ohio attorney general Dave Yost. Always great to have you on the program. We appreciate it. Have a wonderful weekend.
24:40 You too, sir.Show more
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