Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is initiating a process to usher in long-promised power grid reforms to ease the construction of electric transmission lines critical to facilitating the growth of renewables onto the grid.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that he has invited the United Nations envoys on racism and minority issues to visit the U.S. In a statement, he said, “Great nations such as ours do not hide from our shortcomings; they acknowledge them openly and strive to improve with transparency.” His move has been met with disapproval from legislators and others.
Pray for administration cabinet members and agency heads and the protection of America’s national security.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
Legislators have introduced a bill that would increase Congress’ control over the authorization of military actions. They are seeking more congressional review and approval before the U.S. goes to war. Reforms include the review of major foreign weapons sales and an increase in Congress’ control over the declaration of “national emergencies” which can be used to justify weapons sales or military strikes.
Representative Pramila Jaypal of Washington said the $3.5 trillion budget proposal by the majority in Congress will include a number of top liberal priorities. One of these is the provision of pathways to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants including “Dreamers, TPS, essential workers, and farmworkers.”
Pray for members of Congress as they exercise their responsibilities in the “balance of power” provided for by the U.S. Constitution.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
To the disappointment of some partisan legislators, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said he has not decided when to retire from the bench. The court’s oldest member affirmed that he has no plans to step down anytime soon. President Biden would like to name a younger judge to the court while his party still controls a slim lead in the Senate.
A divided panel of three judges on the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal regulations limiting the sale of handguns to individuals 21 and older violate the Second Amendment. “When do constitutional rights vest?” Judge Julius Richardson wrote for the majority. “At 21? 16 or 25? Why not 13 or 33? In the law, a line must sometimes be drawn. But there must be a reason why the constitutional rights cannot be enjoyed until a certain age. Our nation’s most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18. And the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms is no different.”
Pray for wisdom for the justices and federal judges who hear challenging cases regarding the Constitution and its Amendments.
