Praying for Our Leaders in Government
Executive Branch: Pray for the President and his Administration
The Transportation Department said it would suspend 44 China-bound flights from the U.S. by four Chinese carriers in response to the Chinese government’s decision to suspend some U.S. carrier flights over COVID-19 concerns. The suspensions will begin January 30 with a flight scheduled out of Los Angeles and run through March 29.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told world leaders at their annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, that the U.S. needs to focus on increasing its productive potential, calling for what she terms “modern supply-side economics.”
Pray for the president and all who are advising him to keep a close watch on not only Russia but also on China, Iran, and North Korea as they continue to take aggressive postures.
Legislative Branch: Pray for Senators and Representatives in Congress
Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin introduced legislation that would provide $3 billion to Taiwan each fiscal year from 2023 to 2027 to fund that island country’s deployment of asymmetric defense capabilities. He said that the Russian intentions toward Ukraine present “a warning for Taiwan” about the ambitions of China.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina echoed President Biden in expressing concern about the legitimacy of future elections if voting reform legislation favored by the majority party in Congress is not passed. He said he is “absolutely concerned” about what will happen in the midterm elections.
Pray for America’s legislators as agendas are disrupted by the events at the Russia-Ukraine border.
PRAY FOR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES
The Senate Judiciary Committee has moved the American Innovation and Choice Online Act out of committee, making it ready for a floor vote in the Senate. This bill, along with the bipartisan Open App Markets Act, would prevent certain dominant tech platforms from favoring their own products or services over others that rely on their marketplaces to do business.
Pray for the congressional committees as they develop upcoming legislation.
Judicial Branch: Pray for Supreme Court Justices and Federal Judges
A divided Supreme Court grappled with a challenge by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas on limits of the amount of money candidates can raise from donors to pay off their personal debt after an election. At issue is whether a section of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act violates the First Amendment by setting a cap on the amount of post-election funds a candidate can be repaid for personal loans they made to their campaign.
The Supreme Court denied an emergency request asking for a pause to the federal COVID-19 mask mandate for airline travelers. The mandate is in place until at least March 18, 2022. The court did not comment on its denial.
Pray for justices of the Supreme Court as they work through the sharp divisions that exist, especially relative to social issues.
