Skip to content 7/2/2025 The Pros and Cons of the Big Beautiful Bill and the Ripple Effect of SCOTUS Victory for TN Kids. Jul 2 · 54 min ...more
7/2/2025 The Pros and Cons of the Big Beautiful Bill and the Ripple Effect of SCOTUS Victory for TN Kids.
July 2, 2025 · 54 min
Tony and guests look at the benefits and detriments behind the Big Beautiful Bill and review how some states anticipate further protecting their children following the SCOTUS victory in Tennessee.
Series Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio July 2, 2025 · 54 min · Washington Watch with Tony Perkins - Audio
Tony and guests look at the benefits and detriments behind the Big Beautiful Bill and review how some states anticipate further protecting their children following the SCOTUS victory in Tennessee. ...more Show the full description Show less Tony and guests look at the benefits and detriments behind the Big Beautiful Bill and review how some states anticipate further protecting their children following the SCOTUS victory in Tennessee.
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The Legislative Battle: A Moral Stand 0:00 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 The senate bill moved way far away from the house bill, added about 750000000000 dollars to an already large federal, deficit in debt. You know, it did things like it it stripped away the,0:31 the blocking funding for transgender surgery for minors. It stripped away, you know, effectively stopping illegal aliens from getting Medicaid. It, will scale back the the, green new scam provisions,0:43 from the house bill. We we should take the time to get this right.0:47 That was doctor Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, speaking earlier today about the 1 big beautiful bill. Welcome to this July second edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Tony Perkins. Thanks so0:58 much for tuning in. So the question is, will the house meet the artificial July fourth deadline to pass the massive reconciliation bill? House speaker Mike Johnson has been meeting with holdouts throughout the day and1:10 believes they're getting close.1:12 I feel very positive about the progress. We've had lots of great conversations. I've met with, individuals and groups all day long as has the president who's fully engaged as well, trying to, to convince everybody this1:24 is the very best product that we can produce. But, I I feel good about, where we are and where we're headed.1:30 Well, today, we're gonna do something different here on Washington Watch. We're gonna get 2 perspectives from conservative members of Congress who are regular guests on Washington Watch, followed by my own analysis of1:36 the bill Watch, followed by my own analysis of the bill's current state. First up, Texas congressman Keith Self, who says he cannot support the measure1:48 in its current form. Then we'll hear from Texas congressman Nathaniel Moran, who supports the bill, and he will explain why. Later, FRC's Travis Weber and Kena Gonzalez will walk us through the significant1:59 changes made in the senate and why those changes raise concerns. In other news, earlier this week, US Supreme Court directed lower courts in 3 circuits to revisit rulings on transgender2:11 issues. Now that comes following the court's landmark decision upholding Tennessee's SB 1, which protects minors from experimental transgender procedures. We're gonna talk with Idaho attorney2:23 general Raul Labrador about what this could mean for the state of Idaho and other states. So all of that and possibly a bit more on this edition of Washington Watch. Alright.2:35 As I mentioned, the house speaker is locked in, negotiations as we speak over a way forward on the senate amended reconciliation bill. The house has been at a standstill for2:47 the past several hours. Here now to discuss this, congressman Keith Self. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and the DOJ caucus. He represents the third congressional district of Texas. Congressman Self,2:59 welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us.3:02 Great to be here, Tony. Thank you.3:04 So the House Freedom Caucus has been meeting, I think almost nonstop. I've had conversations with several members over the last 24 hours. Give us, your concerns, your3:16 perspective of the current bill as it now sits.3:21 Well, thank you, Tony. First of all, we want to support president Trump's agenda. There are some tax cuts in this bill that are wonderful, and most of what you will hear from anyone else will be about the tax cuts.3:33 What you won't hear is what's on the spending cut bill. Now, from my perspective, there are multiple reasons that this bill is morally bankrupt. It does not defund3:45 transgender surgery for minors. That is a moral issue. It only cuts funding for abortion services for 1 year, not the 10 in the House bill. That's morally3:57 bankrupt. Then there are other issues, paying for, illegal aliens on Medicaid and yes, it supposedly was taken out of the bill but there's no teeth in it.4:08 So, in effect, will it be in effect? There are others but I'll stop there. That's my initial analysis. You're gonna hear a lot about the tax cuts but the deficit, nobody's talking about the4:20 deficit. Nobody. I got it. The tax cuts are important. We are going to get the tax cuts done in some fashion but we cannot saddle our children and our grandchildren with an exploding4:32 national debt.4:33 You know, I'm I'm gonna try to be objective here on this because I share some of the concerns you just put out there, and I've been articulating those. And and for those who track my I mean, look. We're we're we4:45 are very clear on how we do this. We we are bringing news from a a biblical perspective, and and I have opinions, and I share those opinions. I'm very concerned about the fact that, we're going4:57 to continue to give money to planned parenthood, a a 1 year moratorium. Alright? But but it reminds me of this. I don't wanna get too far off in that. I wanna give you the time to talk here. It reminds me of Bill5:09 Clinton back in his 19 92 campaign. It's the economy, stupid. It's not the economy. It is the moral foundation of a nation that matters.5:19 Absolutely, Tony. Absolutely. Well said. And frankly, we tend to see we tend to hear stories about us moving back to a moral foundation. This bill does not5:31 do that.5:34 Okay. Let me ask you this question because this is a question that, or a statement that's often made, in this process. So how do you respond to this is the best we can do?5:47 Well, I I reject that. And when they say this is the last chance we have. In politics, that is never true. You served in this body. That is never true. There is always another5:58 option. We need to continue to find other options. I have no idea what will happen if we take a vote on the rule later today. But, we must find another option6:10 because the Senate passed this bill and left town. Folks, this process is still going on. We have settled nothing here. I recommend that the president go get the senators, bring6:22 them back now, get them back so that we can settle this between the house and the senate.6:26 Well, I've I've been around long enough to to know that play in the playbook is to jam the house by leaving town so that the, it appears that the house has no option6:38 but to take what the senate sent over.6:41 Right. That's absolutely right. That is the playbook, and we're seeing it play out right now.6:47 So so congressman Sefel, may I ask you this question? Because I think when we raise objections, we should present ways forward. We should be problem solvers. And,6:59 so let me ask you, how is the Freedom Caucus? And I know that there's varying views in the Freedom Caucus, but there is that's probably the strongest element of the holdout right now is7:11 in the Freedom Caucus. What what are some of the proposals being made to to move this forward?7:18 Well, I think that we ought to go back into the rules committee with a very few issues that that are play that poll very well with the American people. The transgender surgery is a7:29 winning issue. The green new scam elimination is a winning issue. A recent poll proved that. And then the illegals on, on Medicaid, some teeth in that,7:41 in that prohibition. Those are 3 issues that are winning issues with the American people. Those are 3 that I think if we went back into the rules committee, put them in, and then decide how they're gonna move7:53 forward, those are winning issues.7:57 Let let me get, let me kinda pull back the curtain and let people kind of understand the the the pressures here that, come to play when you're you're having to make a decision. There's there's8:09 tremendous pressure to to conform. And when the Republicans rally around something, it's like everybody's got to get in line, but the process only gets8:20 better the more conversations we have. And I I know there comes a point where you have to vote, but when you consider the significant amendments made in the senate, I I I think it's only8:32 right that the house have an opportunity to address those.8:36 Well, absolutely. Plus, remember, Andy Harris in your lead in said 750000000000 were added. Look, folks. The best the house bill would have done if we'd gotten everything was to keep the 20000000000008:48 dollars a year we're going into debt every year to add up to 37000000000000 now. If we were going to add in when you count in interest over a trillion more dollars that over the9:00 next 10 years, we're just exploding the debt. We're living a party while our grandchildren will be paying the bill.9:08 So let's talk about this, July fourth deadline that was kind of a self imposed. And I and I believe in setting deadlines because never things don't get done. But that's not a hard and9:20 fast deadline.9:22 No. It's not. And frankly, both the president and the speaker have cracked the door on that Tony. So I think that that deadline, whether or not we meet it, I don't think that is a major issue anymore because both the9:34 president and the speaker in the past, the recent past, have suggested that yes, we may go past it.9:40 Now another, frequent guest on our program, congressman Tim Burchat of, Tennessee, posted on x that, he was in a 2 hour meeting, with other conservative Republicans at the White House9:52 with the president, and he said it was very productive. What are you what are your colleagues saying? Are are are they getting closer, or are are are we still just kind of having these initial conversations?10:06 I really, do not know and cannot comment on that, Tony. I will will wait until the the attendees at the White House meeting, tell us, tell us more.10:19 So what ideal outcome for you, what would it look like?10:25 Ideal outcome is that we do exactly as I said. We go to the rules committee now, do not have a vote on the rules, on the rule today. Go back to the rules committee with these very10:37 popular, amendments. Go back to the rules committee, put them in, vote on them, send it back to the Senate. Look, the Senate doesn't think we're serious. You know the playbook. When10:49 they vote a bill, send it over to us, and leave town, they don't think we're serious. Are we gonna continue to buy to buy into the senate playbook? That's the simple question.10:59 Right now, do you think the rule passes tonight?11:03 I don't know. Depending on what's going on on the the meetings right now. I don't know.11:08 Doesn't take, but just a handful to, to to keep that rule from from passing. And just so folks understand, I know we're getting all kinda into the procedural weeds, but I I would say just from a rough11:20 perspective where the senate has their procedural votes where they've gotta start debate. There is a rule vote in the house that allows debate on the bill to to begin. It kinda sets the parameter for the11:32 debate. It it it historically has been a, you know, just really insignificant symbolic move. But in this congress and,11:44 actually, in the last congress as well Right. It's become a way to send a message that the, the bill's not ready, for prime time just yet. And and that's what I'm hearing from some of your other colleagues.11:57 I think that's exactly right. And, frankly, you know, they say that you're not supposed to vote against your own party on the rule. But more than 80 people in the hundred and eighteenth congress voted against a rule at12:07 some point or another. So that you're exactly right. It be it's become a tool to signal to the leadership. This is not PTP as Dick Bob Powell would say prime time,12:19 ready.12:20 I will say this in defense of the speaker. The speaker has been, I think, has run a more transparent process than than any speaker in, in modern time. But it is a lot12:32 to juggle the different, views, especially the the the factions within the Republican party. But that said, congressman Keith Self, I, again, want to,12:44 commend the the House Freedom Caucus for standing firm in the face of a tremendous, you know, pressure from the president and and others just to to go along. Because I think, as you said at the beginning,12:55 we're not against the president, not against his bill, not against his agenda. Just want him to succeed and make it better.13:03 Absolutely. And we have personal commitments from the speaker who is a very honorable man, and we're looking to him to simply meet those commitments that he made to us.13:15 Alright. Congressman Keith Self, thanks so much for joining us.Balancing Principles and Pragmatism 13:19 Thank you, Tony.13:21 Alright. We're looking at the, C SPAN right now. They're voting on the procedure to vote on a rule. They had to amend13:33 a rule, to get to the rule. It's a little complicated, but it looks like they have the votes to move forward. Alright. Coming up, we're going to, to discuss the, 1 big beautiful bill with a house13:45 member who wants to see his chamber pass the senate's version. Congressman Nathaniel Moran from Texas joins me next, so don't go away. A lot more Washington watch straight ahead.14:06 The family is the oldest, most tested, and most reliable unit of society. It is divinely created and sustained. And yet, there are those who are always tampering with its values and structure.14:18 That's why we need organizations like the family research council that can effectively defend and strengthen the family.14:25 Family Research Council began over 40 years ago, like all great movements of God, with prayer. Today, rooted in the heart of the nation's capital, FRC continues to14:37 champion faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview.14:44 FRC is 1 of those bright lights that helps us focus on true north. And I shudder to think had they not been here that it could have been worse, worse, worse.14:54 The Family Research Council is key. It's 1 of a handful of groups that I think will determine whether our children live in a country that15:06 enjoyed all of the freedom and all the opportunity that we enjoyed in this great land.15:12 It's just a wonderful para church organization that doesn't seek to take the place of the church, but it seeks to assist the family and the church as we try to move forward15:23 successfully, not in a defensive mode, but in an offensive mode as we seek to live our lives according to the holy scriptures.15:32 FRC, is not gonna be whooped. You know, we're we're gonna fight. We're gonna take a stand. And, again, we don't retreat.15:41 You will never see in front of this building here in Washington, DC, a white flag fly. We will never step back. We will never surrender, and we will never15:53 be silent. Hello, friends. This is Tony Perkins. You know what? We just finished our 21 day family bible challenge through the book16:05 of Matthew. And if you joined us, I pray that it has already borne fruit in your life and in your home as you place the lord and his word at the center of your home. Now our journey through the Bible doesn't16:17 end here, though. The challenge was a part of our stand on the word Bible reading plan. And from here, we're gonna cover the rest of the New Testament. And now that we finished the book of Matthew, let me ask you, would16:28 you consider joining us for the rest of the journey through the word of God? In 10 to 15 minutes a day, you'll see how the good news of Jesus transformed the lives of common people, people just like you and me, and how16:40 those same people transform the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. I invite you to continue the journey with me and discover the life enriching power of the word of God. Visit f r c dot o r g16:52 slash bible for our reading plan. That's f r c dot o r g slash bible to learn more. Alright. Welcome17:03 back to Washington Watch. Glad to have you along for the ride today. Alright. In the previous segment, I spoke with congressman Keith Self, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, about the senate's version of the 117:15 big, well, not so beautiful bill and, his opposition to it. Now we're gonna get the other perspective. I wanna bring in, another Texan, a house member who supports it. Joining me now,17:27 to discuss this, congressman Nathaniel Moran, who serves on 3 house committees, including the Committee on Ways and Means. He represents the first congressional district of Texas. Congressman Moran, welcome back to17:38 Washington Watch.17:40 Hi, Tony. Great to be with you tonight. Thanks for having me.17:43 Alright. Let me just how how do you guys, in from Texas set, settle your differences?17:50 Well, we gotta continue to talk through the differences. And and certainly when you when you go through the decision making process, I tell my folks back home, I start with principles. We add to that the facts, and then18:00 you look at the application and the analysis of those facts, and then you gotta make a decision. People with the same principles looking at the same facts can actually, apply and analyze those facts a little bit18:12 differently and reach a little bit different conclusion. It doesn't mean that there's a problem in congress. It simply means we're working through the process the way it should, and that's what's happening right now.18:20 That's what the senate's been doing, for the past week. And frankly, that's what the house was doing for an entire year, before that. So I respect the differences of opinion within my colleagues. I happen to fall down on18:32 the side and the belief that, this bill, though not perfect and certainly I could pick apart a lot of provisions in this bill, particularly those that the senate, sent back to18:44 us. This bill on balance is a very pro family, pro faith, pro American bill. And for us not to pass this bill, I think, would be devastating to families and to the18:55 American economy in the years to come.18:58 You know, I I wanna start with your, kind of introductory comments because the reason I had you and Keith on is because you are very similar. You you represent districts that are very near 1 another.19:10 Both of you, analyze things from a, what I would describe, a biblical worldview. So, it it it is. We can come up with differences of opinions, on on this bill. But let's talk19:22 about some of the the elements of that that the senate changed, that, Keith brought up in our conversation earlier that he felt that we're he totally supports the, the tax cuts. I'm not19:34 sure there's a Republican that doesn't support those. His concern was it started out with 10 year defunding of planned parenthood. That's down to a year. It had the defunding of transgender19:46 surgeries. That's or treatments. That's now gone. So he said the moral components of that bill, have been stripped out by the senate.19:56 Yeah. I I agree that those provisions I would've liked seeing those provisions in there, and I'm really sorry that they were, stripped out. But if we can defund planned parenthood for another for a year,20:07 that's a victory and a step in the right direction. And given all the other components of this bill and the other things that are at stake when it comes to faith and family and frankly freedom, because when we're talking20:18 about a tax bill, that's what we're talking about. This started out in its core as a tax bill. This is not the end all be all decision making tree or process, for every moral,20:30 matter that we have to deal with in congress. This is at its core, a bill about taxes and liberty, and and I think that we need to provide that liberty back to the families, the farmers, the hardworking Americans,20:43 across the state of Texas and across every state in the United States. And that will not happen if we don't pass this bill And if we get caught up in the trees and quit looking at the forest,20:55 that could be problematic for us. I think we need to remember this is a, this is a big picture item that we need to pass for the president, for our families in the United States, and then come back and continue to work21:06 on these other things. Again, I agree wholeheartedly on the things the criticisms that that Keith levied, against, what the senate did. Wholeheartedly agree with him, but come down on the conclusion that we still need21:18 to pass this bill and continue to work on those other matters.21:21 I I think, I I think congressman himself was pretty clear on this, that he he wants to see the bill passed. He's just of the of the perspective that it can be improved,21:34 before it is passed. Do you do you see that opportunity to improve the bill?21:38 No. I I don't. Quite frankly, I think that it would be a mistake for us to delay. I know that there are some that are calling for us to, ease off the pressure this week unless maybe go to conference or try to work out21:50 differences or try to somehow, get the the senate revisions undone and go back to where we were. But I think at the end of the day, time is on the, is to the benefit22:02 of those that would wanna kill this bill altogether. And so to say, well, it's not a perfect bill. Yeah. I agree with that. None of these pieces of legislation that are this big is a perfect bill, but if we delay it22:13 passed this week, if we take the pressure off of passage this week, I think you're gonna see even more problematic matters, rise, and it's gonna get even worse. We shoulda had the house22:25 bill. It should've been, it was a better bill, and I like seeing the senate just take ours up and and be done with it. They didn't. They made it worse. If we come back and we try to conference again, I think it's gonna22:36 get even worse, and we're gonna have more voices against it. And then you're not gonna see any passage of this bill, and that would be devastating to families across the United States.22:45 I I would agree that the bill needs to get across, the the line. I do think there's some things that the administration can do to address some of these issues from a, a policy standpoint22:57 through executive action, not necessarily EOs, but, you know, even policies when it comes to planned parenthood or the transgender. I think the Department of Health and Human Services could promulgate rules addressing,23:10 Medicaid funds going to transgender, procedures. So I I I do think there's a there's more than 1 way to skin a legislative cat, if you will. Let let me ask you this23:21 question, congressman, because this is what I get. And and I'm I've spent my a lot of my time defending members of congress because I do think, we're making progress. It's slow. But there are some saying, how is it23:33 we're still funding Planned Parenthood when the Republicans are controlling the White House, the House, and the Senate?23:40 Yeah. It it is astounding to me because what Planned Parenthood is doing across this nation is atrocious. You know, as well as anybody how ardently pro life I am and the stance23:51 we've taken and wanna continue to push back against the, the horrible nature of the services that are provided by planned parenthood to cut the life short of so many, across this24:03 land. And so, I I don't understand, frankly, how some of our colleagues, on this side of the aisle that claim to have a biblical perspective and biblical worldview could support that kind of24:15 activity. But we're gonna take every effort to push back on that, and this is a step in the right direction. By the way, I agree with you. The executive I'd like to see the executives take more action, and I hope that24:27 they will do that in light of what the senate has done in in the instance of the bill. But the bill language is the bill language at this point, and, we, we do not wanna, cut off our nose24:39 to spot our face.24:40 Nathaniel, I wanna thank you for joining us, and I do want to, validate that you are a strong pro life conservative member of congress. We're grateful for you and, thankful not only for youShow more In this video 0:00 The Legislative Battle: A Moral Stand13:19 Balancing Principles and Pragmatism24:44 The Broader Implications of Transgender Legislation33:19 Advocating for Biblical Values in Legislation
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