Skip to content 6/4/2025 Making Sense of National Budgets and Defense as Adversarial Efforts Threaten to Weaken America Jun 4 · 54 min ...more
6/4/2025 Making Sense of National Budgets and Defense as Adversarial Efforts Threaten to Weaken America
June 4, 2025 · 54 min
On Today's Program: Chinese nationals attempt biowarfare within the U.S.; the Army increases recruitment; expanding school choice; reconciling discrepancies between the CBO and the Big Beautiful Bill
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio June 4, 2025 · 54 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio
On Today's Program: Chinese nationals attempt biowarfare within the U.S.; the Army increases recruitment; expanding school choice; reconciling discrepancies between the CBO and the Big Beautiful Bill ...more Show the full description Show less On Today's Program: Chinese nationals attempt biowarfare within the U.S.; the Army increases recruitment; expanding school choice; reconciling discrepancies between the CBO and the Big Beautiful Bill
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National Security and Military Focus 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. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.0:19 Welcome to this June fourth edition of Washington Watch. Thanks so much for tuning in. Well, first up, federal prosecutors have charged 2 Chinese nationals with trying to smuggle a highly contagious livestock pathogen0:31 into the United States, an agent capable of devastating America's food supply. Congressman John McGuire of Virginia will join us with the latest on what congress plans to do next. Meanwhile, after missing0:43 its annual recruiting targets 3 years in a row, the US army now claims it has already surpassed its f y 20 25 goal with 4 months to spare. What changed?0:54 Well, here's a hint. Young men and women who want to defend freedom aren't flocking to pronoun training seminars. They're fight they're training, they're, flocking to those institutions that wanna train them to1:06 defend freedom. We'll dig into the numbers and the cultural sea change reshaping our nation's military. And on Capitol Hill, the senate is taking up the reconciliation package, and tucked inside is1:18 a headline grabbing provision, a nationwide school, choice tax credit. It's a voucher, initiative that allows parents to choose schools and,1:30 private schools and homeschool options for their kids. Congressman Kevin Kiley from California joins us to explain how it works and whether it can survive the senate. And Elon Musk isn't exactly smitten with1:42 president Trump's self styled 1 big beautiful bill. Musk's Musk took to x saying this massive outrageous pork filled congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who1:54 voted for it, end quote. Well, at the center of the differing views of the 1 big beautiful bill is a review of the bill by the Congressional Budget Office, and we're gonna talk with Washington Stan's2:06 Mark Tapscott, about the Congressional Budget office, their scoring, and their checkered forecasting record. All of that and more coming up on this edition of Washington Watch.2:18 Plus, let me remind you, have you taken the challenge? Beginning June the eleventh, families across the country are joining FRC's 21 day family bible challenge through the gospel of Matthew.2:30 Daily readings, a study guide, kid friendly activities, and weekly discussion questions will help every age engage with God's word together. So if you'd like to take the challenge, text Matthew to 62:42 7 7 4 2. That's Matthew to 6 7 7 4 2. Well, yesterday, the FBI unveiled a set of charges against 2 Chinese nationals who allegedly attempted to smuggle a2:53 biological pathogen into the US that would damage crops and cattle. Here to discuss this and more, congressman, John McGuire from Virginia. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee. He3:05 represents the fifth congressional district of Virginia. Congressman, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.3:12 Hey. Thank you, Tony. It's good to be here. I tell you, China believes that everything can be used as a weapon and everything should be used as a weapon. I I gotta tell you my goal3:24 my number 1 goal in congress is I'm a limited government, legislator, but I believe we got we have to keep our people safe at home and abroad, and we are less safe at home and abroad. If you look at the3:36 fentanyl overdose epidemic in our country, it's being produced in China, coming across our southern border, and poisoning the American people. And this is just another example of them. You've seen they hack into our3:47 technology, our military technology. They bring people here on birth, vacation, so they go back to China, and they have dual citizenship. And, this is another example of3:59 China going against the American people.4:03 Now this, 2 students, coming in through in Michigan, what do we know about Motive thus far? What were they trying to do? Now the news reports say that they were just wanting4:15 to do research, in a educational institution. Do we know anymore at this point?4:22 Well, we don't know anymore about that, but they're so we're certainly gonna do an investigation. But this is egregious, and I think we know if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck, and it's just a4:31 constant attack or danger to the American people in our interest. And so we've got we've, you know, we've we've got to respond with tariffs, the intellectual property thefts, all those things. We have to stand4:43 up to China.4:44 And I and I I think analyzing this while we have we have to determine the motives of these 2 individuals involved, we do have a track record with China trying to infiltrate this country,4:56 steal, intellectual property. They're constantly at work, attacking our, infrastructure in different places. So we know that they have a bad motives.5:08 And is this a a further wake up call, especially when you think in in light of COVID, you know, and and what came about as a result of that?5:17 Absolutely. We need a wake up call. I can understand why people aren't banging pots and pans and making a lot of noise. In my district, you know, as a politician, we knock a lot of noise a lot of doors, and we have lots5:27 of conversations. I've knocked on 6 doors in my district where a mother or father cried with me and prayed with me because their 18, 19, 20 year old son or daughter is5:39 dead because of fentanyl poisoning, for example. And I remember 1 was a big mansion, a larger home, and they were moving to South Carolina. So I asked them, I said, why are you guys moving to South Carolina? And5:51 they said, well, we're tired of being known as the family on the corner that lost our son to fentanyl poison. And when I knocked the next 2 doors, they reminded me that that house on the corner had a overdose6:03 death. And then I've also knocked on folks, like a trailer where they don't have a lot of money, where, I was just, you know, didn't have a lot of money. All he cared about was his son, and his son is dead. And so China6:14 seems to be coming after us in every single way. They're not fair in business. Like, they'll produce a product in China, an American product during the day. And when that company closes its doors, they come in with6:25 another crew, and they use the same molds and the same equipment to produce a knockoff product. And so I love the idea of America first. I love it that president Trump is bringing manufacturing and6:37 supply chains back to the US, and I'm so about that.6:42 Congressman Maguire, I know you gotta go here in just a moment. But I wanna ask you about this. As a navy veteran, you're a a navy seal. The army surpassing its recruiting goal, with6:54 4 months left in the fiscal year. For the last 3 years, they haven't been able to meet it. I mean, this should not come as a surprise to people, but young men and women who wanna fight for this7:05 country wanna join a military that that's their mission, not learning the right pronouns.7:11 Absolutely. You know, I love what, Pete Hegset says. No more climate change. No more transgender surgeries. We are here to make our military lethal so that we can protect the American people.7:23 And by the way, the army is gonna celebrate 250 years on June fourteenth. It's gonna be a parade, and that's a history that needs to be told, and it's great for recruiting. And like you said, we've reached our recruiting7:35 numbers for the army 4 months early, and we haven't even gotten into the most productive months for recruiting this year yet. So we're on the way. What a difference having president Trump in the White House7:46 makes. And by the way, if you're on a basketball team and you hate your basketball team, you're going to lose. America first, we have a great country. People need to be taught patriotism. Our Judeo Christian7:58 values need to be taught, and we have an incredible country. And I don't know if you can make it, but I hope you'll make it to that parade.8:06 Final question for you, congressman Maguire. You I mean, you keep your you're you're on the armed services committee. You're you're a veteran of the navy. You you've seen what happens8:17 with the the woke policies of the Biden administration, of the Obama administration, can this be reprogrammed? Can we8:29 redo and fix the damage that has been done in these 4 years?8:34 Well, I gotta tell you, as a sniper as a sniper instructor in the Navy SEALs, if you would hit me with a baseball bat, I would not have missed that shot. By the grace of god, we got president Trump back in the8:45 White House, and it didn't take him 4 years to secure that border. He did it in 4 weeks. And so we I believe that God kinda we we weren't on the cliff. We were over the cliff, and I think the hand of God pulled us back8:57 over. But we've got work to do, but I I know God's in control. God gets the last word. I have faith that we're gonna turn this country around.9:05 Well, and we need to continue to pray, vote, and stand for those who will do just that. Congressman John Maguire, always great to see you. Thanks so much for, taking time to join us today.9:15 Thank you.9:17 And and, folks, I do wanna encourage you because this is a a question I often get as a as a marine veteran. I have, parents who will ask me, you know, should I should I our kids join the military given what's9:28 happening? Of course, this is back, more during the the Biden and Obama years. I I think it's just like when you send your kids to a a, public college. Well, I think we gotta be careful where we9:40 send them and prepare them to go. And and I do think we need men and women of faith in our nation's military because, you know, when you think about the power of the military,9:52 the lethal force that they have, we want men and women who know right from wrong. And so absolutely, yes, we should prepare our young people to go into every legitimate area10:04 of service and business in our country. But here's what we gotta do. We gotta continue to shape these policies that protect their rights to be who they are in terms of as believers to10:16 exercise their religious freedom and not be punished, which is what we saw during the Biden administration, what we saw during the Obama administration, people being punished for their faith.10:28 In fact, I was, on C SPAN earlier this morning discussing this issue of religious freedom and what the Trump administration is doing with their religious freedom commission. And it10:40 it's not about imposing religion on anyone. You can't do that. God doesn't do that. God God gives us a choice. He gave Adam and Eve a choice in the garden whether to love him and obey him or not. Unfortunately, they10:51 chose not to do it, and we're all paying the price for that. But we want to make sure that we have the freedom in this country, which is what religious freedom is, the freedom to live our11:03 lives according to our faith. And that includes in public service, includes congress, that includes state legislatures, that includes law enforcement, it includes11:15 military, whatever. We need to be free to do that. And general Boykin, the executive vice president here with founding member of Delta Force, we've talked about this many times over the11:26 years on this program. You've probably heard us. That the reason that the military was suffering from in its recruiting numbers and its retention was because it had lost its focus and11:38 its mission. When it spent more time on training people to use the right pronouns and all of the DEI initiatives of the left as opposed to being a11:50 lethal fighting force, why would you sign up for that? I wouldn't. I don't wanna waste my time learning which pronouns to use. Now that the12:02 military is moving back to its mission to fight and to win America's wars when called upon, guess what? People are standing in12:13 line to join. And and and and that's encouraging because we have men and women, young men and women doing what makes this nation12:25 different. And it shows of the really kind of the the the j o christian DNA that we have. As Jesus said, greater love have no 1 no 1 than to lay down his life for his friends.12:37 And and that's what we see in this country, but it has to be a military that's focused. And that's what president Trump and, Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense are doing,12:49 reverting back to our nation's our military's purpose to fight and to win America's war. So this is something we've had to be very, very aware13:01 of. A lot of what is happening can be undone by the if if we see if and when there is a Democratic administration, they can undo all of the good stuff13:13 that has happened here in just the last few months. So we've gotta pray. We gotta pray for the change of heart, the spiritual foundation of this nation to turn while we have the freedom to do so. We need to vote to13:25 keep men and women and bring more into office that will stand for biblical truth and righteousness. And then right where you are, right where I am, the opportunities we have, we need to stand for thatEducation and School Choice 13:37 truth. Alright. Coming up next, next, president Trump's 1 big beautiful bill contains a provision which would make school choice more accessible to parents across the nation. I'm gonna speak with13:49 California congressman Kevin Kiley on this very topic when we get back. So don't go away. More straight ahead.14:03 Hello. I'm Tony Perkins, and we're here in Jerusalem, the city of King David. And I'm excited to announce the launch of our family bible challenge to read through the gospel of Matthew.14:15 Now this 21 day challenge begins on June the eleventh,14:18 and it's a part of our stand14:19 on the word bible reading plan. It's in bite sized readings. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes a day, and we provide a toolbox full of resources to help you along the journey, including14:31 a study guide titled Matthew, the king and his kingdom. We also provide downloadable resources such as age appropriate questions to engage children, and we have a14:43 variety of family friendly projects as well as this. Listen, a coloring book, coloring pages about the life of Jesus for the younger kids and your grandkids. Think about14:54 it. What could be a better summer activity than to go on a journey through the life of Jesus as a family? Just think what God could do in the lives of your loved ones15:06 as they read Matthew, unforgettable stories about the greater son of David, Jesus, the Messiah. I hope you'll join us for our family bible challenge beginning June15:18 the eleventh. Text the word Matthew to 6 7 7 4 2. I hope you'll join us.15:32 In a time when Washington seems clouded by compromise, a bold group of lawmakers are standing firm in defense of the values which our nation was built upon. At FRC Action's15:44 100 percent awards, 171 members of congress were honored for voting 100 percent in line with policies that promote faith, family, and freedom.15:56 Faith and family made our country it's the foundation that made our country not only great, but good.16:02 The values that make America, faith, family, hard work, first responsibility. I mean, that to me is the heart of FRC and, grateful for everything that they do.16:11 It's very important for us to have organizations such as FRC. First of all, I think it keeps us grounded. In addition to which, the issues that you champion are issues that we should all be championing.16:21 FRC is very, very good at honing in on those things that, really affect Christians' lives. Also, working with members of congress too to make sure that those values are instilled in the legislation16:33 family research council to guide us is, critically important to being able to do the right thing consistently.16:41 These lawmakers have drawn the line, not just in policy, but but in principle. This is more than politics. This is conviction in action. Visit f r c action dot org for16:53 more information on how you too can make a difference.17:03 Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us. Alright. The wellness of the Biden era education department has fueled the desire of parents to seek school choice,17:15 And it's no surprise to see tucked in president Trump's 1 big beautiful bill, a provision that creates a voucher program that finances private and homeschool education. How exactly17:27 would it work? Well, here to discuss this, Kevin Kiley, who serves on the House Education Workforce Committee, where he's chairman of the subcommittee on early childhood, elementary, and secondary education. He17:38 represents the third congressional district of California. Congressman Kiley, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.17:45 Of course. Thanks for having me.17:47 So this is something you've actually been championing. You wanna see the expansion of charter schools as well. Walk us through this provision that is, it appears to be modeled after a legislation that started in17:58 Arizona back in, I think, 19 97 by former congressman Trent Franks, but it's, it really takes private money to expand these opportunities for kids to private and homeschool education.18:11 That's correct. Exactly. So this, is based on a bill that I sponsored called the, every the, ECCA, Educational Choice for Children Act. And the idea here is to catalyze18:23 a school choice revolution across the country and bring school of choice even to states like mine, California, that have done everything they possibly can, to restrict it. So the bill, and as as you mentioned, this18:35 is now part of the, big beautiful bill or HR 1, which, has passed the house now, and, we expect to be signed, into law, before too long. What it does is it establishes18:47 a tax credit for donations to, scholarship granting organizations. It's a hundred percent tax credit. And so then these scholarship granting organizations will use those funds to18:59 provide scholarships for students to attend a private school of their choice. It funds those credits up to the level of 5000000000 dollars that they can be claimed, across the country. We estimate and then it19:11 continues for 4 years. We estimate that'll mean getting 2000000, kids, a private school choice across the country. And then as you mentioned, I'm also advocating for inclusion of a bill I've sponsored called the ever19:22 the, High Quality Charter School Act, which is gonna do something similar, for charter schools by potentially tripling the number of students attending charter schools nationwide.19:33 So this in particular helps states like yours in California that, unlike many of the red states that are adopting very similar provisions, as I mentioned, this first started in Arizona over 30 years about19:45 30 years ago. I introduced it when I was in the legislature in Louisiana, but back then, we weren't quite at the point we are now. Louisiana has something very similar today. This, well,19:57 first, I wanna go to something that the critics say in the educational establishment, saying it's taking dollars away from programs that would strengthen all schools, expand access to early childhood,20:09 education, make sure that our kids have access to mental health counselors and to other mental health supports. How does providing opportunity for kids through private donations into these20:21 scholarship funds take anything away from other education?20:26 Well, it doesn't. In fact, it's just, just the opposite. And the idea that more money will improve student outcomes, necessarily, has been completely debunked. Under the Biden administration, we increased education20:37 spending by 200000000000 dollars, and yet student, test scores have plummeted. There's been an inverse relationship. California spends a ton of money, on education. It has some of the worst, outcomes in the country. But20:49 what really does make a difference, is giving families options and giving them, and giving schools an incentive to offer a high quality product.20:58 So so what they're afraid of is competition.21:01 That's right. Exactly. Well, they're afraid of it, but, also, what we see when the competition does occur is it actually lifts all boats because then, the other schools in the area, have to offer a higher quality21:12 product.21:13 Now it has a 5000000000 dollar cap. I mean, I think there's gonna be a lot of interest in this for for again, this is this is people who get they get a tax deduction by giving money to these scholarship21:25 funds. Now people would argue, well, that's money that would people would pay taxes on. Yes. But we're improving education. We're improving the workforce, and we're doing it through the private sector, and we're not this21:37 is not a, a government created plan. These are private sector, private in private education. So, I mean, this looks like a win win.21:47 Oh, absolutely. And, you know, when a child is being educated, at a private school, then that's no longer a cost to the public school system either. So, you know, the at the end of the day, what we're doing is we're21:58 allowing parents and families to have a greater amount of control over how their share of education spending, is is used.22:07 And it does it in22:08 a way that actually will have broad system wide effects in terms of increasing improving the quality of education for everyone.22:14 And it will will this not? Correct me if I'm wrong. But as we go into states where we have failing education systems and we have students that their parents don't have the resources,22:26 this opens the door for them.22:29 Absolutely. This you know, right now, we have private schools across the country, but only those who have means generally can attend them. Can but what this bill does is it opens that opportunity up,22:41 to everyone. So the Democrats who are opposing this bill and calling it some sort of voucher system or claiming that it's harming the public education system. What they're really defending is making school choice the22:52 exclusive province of the wealthy. What we wanna do is open up that opportunity to everyone.22:57 Alright. So let walk us through the legislative process. What are you hearing from, members of the senate? Is this a provision? You know, I know they've been kind of going through, like, a cafeteria line saying, I like23:08 this. I don't like this. What are they saying about this provision?23:11 Well, I haven't heard any opposition to it. I think that it's something that's broadly, popular, at least within the Republican conference. As you noted earlier, it also can be used by homeschool families, and there's23:21 many millions of homeschool families, across the country that we need to support, and, in every way we can. They've actually been, you know, under attack in states like, like California, but,23:36 senate is gonna certainly have its say on many facets of this bill. But I think this is a provision that they wanna protect. And, indeed, what I wanna see happen is them add the charter school part as well, which provide23:47 a similar tax credit for starting up new charter schools, that essentially replicate those that currently exist that are already getting great results.23:55 Congressman Kiley, we just got a minute left. I know this morning, the Department of Education held a hearing titled examining the policies and priorities of the Department of Education. What was the take the top24:05 takeaway from the meeting?24:07 Well, the Democrats on the committee are very interested in defending the status quo, and the status quo is 1 of failure. It's 1 of where we've shoveled more and more and more money into the system, and student24:17 performance has gotten worse and worse and worse. The administration has proposed a number of reforms, to reverse that trajectory. And so if the Democrats wanted to sort of disagree with the way that they're going about24:29 about performing our education system, that's 1 thing. But instead of doing that, they simply just wanna defend the status quo, which to me is unacceptable because you have millions and millions and millions of kids24:38 across this country who are not getting the education they deserve.24:41 If we keep defending the status quo, we're gonna keep getting the same results. It is time to to change things. Congressman Kiley, thanks so much for joining us. Always, appreciate listening to you.24:52 Of course. Thanks for having me.24:53 Alright, folks. Don't go away. More Washington Watch right on the other side24:57 of the break.Show more In this video 0:00 National Security and Military Focus13:31 Education and School Choice24:58 Fiscal Responsibility and Government Efficiency33:29 Political Dynamics and Legislative Challenges
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