• The Daily Brief
• The Middle East in Focus
• FRC Statement on the Blunt Amendment
• Today's Legislative Focus
• The Cost Of ObamaCare
• An "American Spring?"
• AIPAC Meets Next Week
• Prayers for Upcoming Meetings
• A CALL FOR ALL-NIGHT PRAYER
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, March 1, 2012
"His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark." (Psalm 91:4)
TODAY'S DAILY JOT: To read today's Daily Jot, please go here.
Thank you!!
BULLETIN!
HOUSE PASSES MEASURE CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF PASTOR NADARKHANI
See Item #10 on today's Brief!
The Daily Brief
1. Iran's underground nuclear sites not immune to U.S. bunker-busters, experts say - Washington Post
Western spy agencies for years have kept watch on a craggy peak in northwest Iran that houses one of the world's most unusual nuclear sites. Known as Fordow, the facility is built into mountain bunkers designed to withstand an aerial attack. Iran's civil defense chief has declared the site "impregnable."
- Lord, we pray that our enemies will be vulnerable. We thank You for the technology to destroy any and all nuclear sites within the nation of Iran.
- "Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." [Proverbs 17:24]
2. Senators: U.S. Forces at Risk Due to Syrian Chemical Weapons - US News & World Report
Several senators are raising concerns that unrest in Syria could allow that nation's chemical and other weapons to be used against U.S. forces and allies in the region.
- Father, we bind all use of chemical weapons in the Name of Jesus. We apply the Blood of Christ to the entire Middle East, and pray for a mighty display of Your power against our enemies.
- "Deliver me, O my God, out of the hands of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man." [Psalm 71:4]
3. a) 3 doomsaying experts who foresee economic devastation ahead - USA Today
Behind the mainstream Wall Street happy talk about more stable financial markets and an improving economy are grim warnings of tough times ahead from a small cadre of doomsayers who warn that the worst of the financial crisis is still to come.
b). Bernanke warns lawmakers nation headed for 'massive fiscal cliff' - The Hill
Congress risks taking the economy over a "massive fiscal cliff," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned lawmakers on Wednesday.
- Father, we are all aware that our economy stands as a house of cards at this point in history. We ask Your mercy over Your people, to help us turn around our descent into financial chaos.
- "Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me." [Psalm 69:15]
4. Obama to Cut Healthcare Benefits for Military - Free Beacon
The Obama administration's proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers' benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare's state-run insurance exchanges.
- Lord, this is an infuriating situation. Our men and women in uniform and their families deserve proper healthcare. To use them for the purposes of increasing enrollment in Obamacare is unconscionable! We pray that You will restore these benefits to our military.
- "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." [James 3:17]
5. Threatening letters with powder turn up on Capitol Hill - USA Today
Capitol Hill has received letters containing threats and a suspicious powder similar to those sent last week to some lawmakers' district offices, The Hill reports.
- Lord, we pray for Your covering of protection around our legislators and their staff. Even hoaxes can cause unforeseeable consequences, so we ask that You quickly find and bring justice to the person or persons responsible.
- "No weapon formed against shall prosper." (Isaiah 54:17)
6. 12 killed as violent storms ravage Midwest, South - AP
A pre-dawn twister flattened entire blocks of homes in a small Illinois town Wednesday as violent storms ravaged the Midwest and South, killing at least 12 people in three states.
Winds also ripped through the country music mecca of Branson, Mo., damaging some of the city's famous theaters just days before the start of the busy tourist season.
Read more:
- Lord, let your mercy and comfort come to the affected region. May Your Holy Spirit move mightily in the hearts of the people and the families of the victims. We ask for Your very present help in this time of trouble.
- "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." [Psalm 46:1]
7. Md. Gov. O'Malley signs same-sex marriage bill - Washington Post
Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed Maryland's same-sex marriage bill. The state joins seven others and the District of Columbia in allowing same-sex marriages. Read more.
- Father God, our hearts are heavy tonight as we witness more and more states rejecting true marriage for a false "covenant" -- one which cannot be blessed by Your hand. We ask You to strengthen the hearts of all who have been battling against the passage of these bills in their own states, for our hope is in You. We ask You to forgive the millions who are now lost in this culture of deception and death, for they know not what they do. Forgive us Lord God, and please show us Your mercy, yet again. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." (Isaiah 60:2)
8. Senate rejects Blunt amendment to limit birth control mandate - The Hill
The Senate voted 51-48 Thursday to kill a controversial amendment to weaken the Obama administration's policy requiring employers to provide birth control to their employees.
The Senate voted to table the measure from Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), which would have let any employers opt out of health coverage mandates that violate their religious or moral beliefs.
Blunt and other supporters said the amendment was necessary because an "accommodation" offered by the Obama administration to address complaints that its mandate violated religious freedom was insufficient. Read the story here.
- Father as religious freedom increasingly comes under attack by this administration and liberal forces, we entreat Your mercy over America. The voting shows that America is desperately divided and unable to find wisdom in these troubled times. We humbly pray from the depths of our hearts for Your intervention.
- "Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free Spirit." (Psalm 51:12)
9. Obama's Apology Failed - Gary Bauer
Hussein Obama told ABC News yesterday that his apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the burning of Korans on Bagram Air Force Base "calmed things down." No it didn't!
Two more U.S. soldiers were assassinated today when they were attacked by a member of the Afghan army and a teacher. A third person is believed to be in custody. USA Today reports, "Thursday's killings raised to six the number of Americans killed in less than two weeks . . . Hussein Obama and other U.S. officials apologized and said the burning was an accident, but that has failed to quell the anger."
In fact, groveling to the jihadists always inspires more violence, not less. Obama's weakness is putting our soldiers at risk.
- Pray that Obama will come to his senses and realize that apologizing is not the way out of this quagmire. Let him seek the LORD for wisdom in this matter, and ask for angelic protection for our troops on the land.
- "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
10. HOUSE PASSES MEASURE CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF PASTOR NADARKHANI - Congressoinal Prayer Caucus
Measure Passed by Voice Vote
This week, we in America who enjoy the fundamental human right of religious freedom have the opportunity to stand in unity for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed H.Res.556, a resolution introduced by Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-16) condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, imprisonment, and sentencing of Pastor Nadarkhani for refusing to recant his Christian faith.
Last night, Reps. Randy Forbes, Joseph Pitts, and Robert Aderholt, Members of the Prayer Caucus, spoke on the House floor on this important resolution. You can watch Rep. Forbes' remarks by clicking this video.
You can watch Rep. Pitts' remarks by clicking here; and the full debate on the measure is available here. As Members of Congress came together on the House floor this week in support of this Resolution, Americans of all faiths and political persuasions across the country are also encouraged to join in prayer for Pastor Nadarkhani.
- Offer praise for this good report, and continue in prayer for a miracle in Iran. Only our God can intervene now in this matter to spare the life of this precious saint.
- "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." (2 Chronicles 20:12)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The earth is the LORD's, and it's fullness; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." (Psalm 24:1,2)
1. Barak, Panetta discuss Syria, Iran in Washington meeting - Jerusalem Post
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday met his US counterpart Leon Panetta at the Pentagon in Washington, where the two leaders discussed security cooperation between Israel and the US.
2. Netanyahu to 'break new ground' in AIPAC speech - Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to leave for Canada and the US late Thursday night for a visit that -- unlike previous trips to Washington and meetings with US President Barack Obama that focused on the Palestinians -- is expected this time to center on Iran.
3. Netanyahu will ask Hussein Obama to threaten Iran strike - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to publicly harden his line against Iran during a meeting with Hussein Obama in Washington on March 5, according to a senior Israeli official.
4. Hezbollah: Israeli attack on Iran would set Middle East ablaze - Ha'aretz
An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear program would set the Middle East ablaze, possibly drag in the United States and unleash a conflict beyond Israel's control, the deputy head of Lebanon's pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement said.
5. Clinton defends administration record on Israel - Ynet News
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is dismissing Republican criticism of Hussein Obama's miserable record in supporting Israel and says United States aid would be the highest ever.
6. Israel can defend itself against barrages from Iran - Jerusalem Post
Israel's Arrow missile defense system could intercept barrages of Iranian long-range missiles, Arieh Herzog, who recently stepped down as head of the Defense Ministry's Homa Missile Defense Agency, has told The Jerusalem Post
FRC Statement on the Blunt Amendment
FRC Action Criticizes Senate Vote Opposing Blunt Amendment to Preserve Religious Liberty
March 01, 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council Action (FRC Action), the legislative advocacy arm of the Family Research Council, criticized the U.S. Senate vote today against Senator Roy Blunt's "Respect for the Rights of Conscience Act of 2011 " amendment. The amendment would have restored the status quo on conscience rights prior to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and protect against the recent mandate on abortifacients, sterilization and contraceptives by the Obama administration's Department of Health and Human Services.
FRC Action will score the vote in its annual scorecard.
Of the vote, FRC Action President Tony Perkins said:
"Today, 51 senators, led by Sen. Harry Reid, sacrificed the Constitutional right of religious liberty on the altar of the Obama administration's radical big-government agenda. They turned a deaf ear to the very real religious and moral objections of millions of Americans and the First Amendment rights of all.
"We thank Democrat Senators Joe Manchin, Robert Casey and Ben Nelson for standing up to their caucus and fighting for religious liberty. Their vote for Sen. Blunt's bill, along with support from Republican Senators ranging from pro-life Senator Kelly Ayotte to pro-abortion Senator Susan Collins showed that this is not about women's health but about whether the government can violate religious liberties.
"The President and Congress need to wake up and realize that they have run into an immovable wall of principle that religious liberties are still in fact fundamental rights in this country. No political machinations they attempt will surmount the unshakeable religious and moral convictions of those of us opposing this government mandate.
"We urge the House of Representatives to pass Congressman Jeff Fortenberry's legislation and send it back to the Senate as Americans increasingly realize that their fundamental religious liberties are being threatened."
- Place the FORCE OF INTERCESSION in agreement with Tony's last statement, above. This wickedness must stop!
- "He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness." (I Samuel 2:9)
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
EDUCATION
Not only has Hussein Obama failed to roll back some of the federal interventions into education under No Child Left Behind, he has expanded interventions into higher education. House Republicans are putting forth a bill to repeal those regulations. The bill (HR 2117) would repeal two regulations on private for-profit colleges; one defines a credit hour, and the other sets minimum requirements that all higher education institutions must meet to be considered authorized by a state. There is no reason for the federal government to get involved in an issue that should be exclusively within the purview of the state.
Conservative concerns:
There are no concerns with H.R. 2117, as it is worthy of our support. However, this bill is part of a broader education reform effort in the House that conservatives should be watching. This week, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will mark up bills ( HR 3989 , HR 3990 ) that would revise parts of No Child Left Behind. The first bill is great. It eliminates the current No Child Left Behind (NCLB) accountability system known as Adequate Yearly Progress, which requires all students to be 100% proficient in reading and math for their grade level.
Unfortunately, instead of completely repealing NCLB, the second bill (HR 3990) institutes a new teacher evaluation system that is mandated on all states. We need to get the federal government completely out of education and send the money and responsibility back to state and local governments. If we are going to rewrite NCLB, let's repeal it, not just tweak it. The problem is that John Boehner was the primary author of the original NCLB bill, and he is not too enthusiastic to see his handiwork repudiated. In a future issue of our bulletin, we will be updating you on conservative reforms that we need to advocate.
The Cost Of ObamaCare
As we are learning every day, ObamaCare is going to cost us more than just trillions in new taxes and entitlement spending. It is costing us our freedom. And as Catholic leaders have been warning, there is a huge cost to religious liberty.
What is the potential cost to the Catholic Church and other religious institutions that refuse Obama's latest mandate to pay for abortion-inducing drugs? According to Politico, "The IRS is empowered to levy a tax penalty on noncompliant religious employers of $100 per day for each employee in their health plan."
That means a Catholic charity or hospital with 100 employees could be slapped with a $3.65 million fine every year. That would be the cost for the Church and other religious groups if they choose to exercise the freedom they have always enjoyed in this country. That is not freedom. It is extortion. (Gary Bauer)
An "American Spring?"
Beware The "American Spring"
We've been warning that this campaign is going to be brutal, and it will be. It might seem like the Occupy Wall Street movement died out in the winter, but it is not gone. It is hibernating. There are reports that it will reemerge in what is being called "The American Spring," modeled after the so-called "Arab Spring."
Tuesday night, several banks and a Starbucks in Portland, Oregon, were attacked by radicals and anarchists who sympathize with the Occupy movement. Emboldened by the timid response to the Occupiers, these thugs are growing more brazen. They emailed police shortly after each act of vandalism to brag about it. They wrote in one message, "Wherever capital chooses for its bunker, we will be there to attack it in the night."
Meanwhile, another "occupier" is in the hospital, recovering from severe burns he received after torching a historic town hall in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. His friends say they are "shocked." But one conceded, "There was a group that decided that the things they wanted to do to change the world would be illegal instead of working within the system."
Shocked? I'm not. Even liberal pollsters warned us that many in the Occupy movement were prone to violence, and the movement has an extensive rap sheet. (Gary Bauer)
AIPAC Meets Next Week
Annual Meeting of AIPAC Convenes This Weekend
The annual AIPAC Policy Conference is the largest gathering of the pro-Israel movement. Thousands of participants come from all 50 states to take part in "three of the most important days affecting Israel's future." The 2012 conference will be held March 4-6, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Thousands have already registered, don't miss out on this truly remarkable experience to be in our nation's capital with thousands of fellow pro-Israel supporters.
Confirmed Speakers for this year's conference include:
• The Middle East in Focus
• FRC Statement on the Blunt Amendment
• Today's Legislative Focus
• The Cost Of ObamaCare
• An "American Spring?"
• AIPAC Meets Next Week
• Prayers for Upcoming Meetings
• A CALL FOR ALL-NIGHT PRAYER
• Worship with Us Today!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
"Partners in Prayer for Our Nation"
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp@patriot.net
The Daily Brief - Thursday, March 1, 2012
"His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark." (Psalm 91:4)
TODAY'S DAILY JOT: To read today's Daily Jot, please go here.
Thank you!!
BULLETIN!
HOUSE PASSES MEASURE CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF PASTOR NADARKHANI
See Item #10 on today's Brief!
The Daily Brief
1. Iran's underground nuclear sites not immune to U.S. bunker-busters, experts say - Washington Post
Western spy agencies for years have kept watch on a craggy peak in northwest Iran that houses one of the world's most unusual nuclear sites. Known as Fordow, the facility is built into mountain bunkers designed to withstand an aerial attack. Iran's civil defense chief has declared the site "impregnable."
- Lord, we pray that our enemies will be vulnerable. We thank You for the technology to destroy any and all nuclear sites within the nation of Iran.
- "Wisdom is before him that has understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth." [Proverbs 17:24]
2. Senators: U.S. Forces at Risk Due to Syrian Chemical Weapons - US News & World Report
Several senators are raising concerns that unrest in Syria could allow that nation's chemical and other weapons to be used against U.S. forces and allies in the region.
- Father, we bind all use of chemical weapons in the Name of Jesus. We apply the Blood of Christ to the entire Middle East, and pray for a mighty display of Your power against our enemies.
- "Deliver me, O my God, out of the hands of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man." [Psalm 71:4]
3. a) 3 doomsaying experts who foresee economic devastation ahead - USA Today
Behind the mainstream Wall Street happy talk about more stable financial markets and an improving economy are grim warnings of tough times ahead from a small cadre of doomsayers who warn that the worst of the financial crisis is still to come.
b). Bernanke warns lawmakers nation headed for 'massive fiscal cliff' - The Hill
Congress risks taking the economy over a "massive fiscal cliff," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned lawmakers on Wednesday.
- Father, we are all aware that our economy stands as a house of cards at this point in history. We ask Your mercy over Your people, to help us turn around our descent into financial chaos.
- "Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me." [Psalm 69:15]
4. Obama to Cut Healthcare Benefits for Military - Free Beacon
The Obama administration's proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers' benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare's state-run insurance exchanges.
- Lord, this is an infuriating situation. Our men and women in uniform and their families deserve proper healthcare. To use them for the purposes of increasing enrollment in Obamacare is unconscionable! We pray that You will restore these benefits to our military.
- "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." [James 3:17]
5. Threatening letters with powder turn up on Capitol Hill - USA Today
Capitol Hill has received letters containing threats and a suspicious powder similar to those sent last week to some lawmakers' district offices, The Hill reports.
- Lord, we pray for Your covering of protection around our legislators and their staff. Even hoaxes can cause unforeseeable consequences, so we ask that You quickly find and bring justice to the person or persons responsible.
- "No weapon formed against shall prosper." (Isaiah 54:17)
6. 12 killed as violent storms ravage Midwest, South - AP
A pre-dawn twister flattened entire blocks of homes in a small Illinois town Wednesday as violent storms ravaged the Midwest and South, killing at least 12 people in three states.
Winds also ripped through the country music mecca of Branson, Mo., damaging some of the city's famous theaters just days before the start of the busy tourist season.
Read more:
- Lord, let your mercy and comfort come to the affected region. May Your Holy Spirit move mightily in the hearts of the people and the families of the victims. We ask for Your very present help in this time of trouble.
- "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." [Psalm 46:1]
7. Md. Gov. O'Malley signs same-sex marriage bill - Washington Post
Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed Maryland's same-sex marriage bill. The state joins seven others and the District of Columbia in allowing same-sex marriages. Read more.
- Father God, our hearts are heavy tonight as we witness more and more states rejecting true marriage for a false "covenant" -- one which cannot be blessed by Your hand. We ask You to strengthen the hearts of all who have been battling against the passage of these bills in their own states, for our hope is in You. We ask You to forgive the millions who are now lost in this culture of deception and death, for they know not what they do. Forgive us Lord God, and please show us Your mercy, yet again. In Jesus' Name, amen.
- "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." (Isaiah 60:2)
8. Senate rejects Blunt amendment to limit birth control mandate - The Hill
The Senate voted 51-48 Thursday to kill a controversial amendment to weaken the Obama administration's policy requiring employers to provide birth control to their employees.
The Senate voted to table the measure from Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), which would have let any employers opt out of health coverage mandates that violate their religious or moral beliefs.
Blunt and other supporters said the amendment was necessary because an "accommodation" offered by the Obama administration to address complaints that its mandate violated religious freedom was insufficient. Read the story here.
- Father as religious freedom increasingly comes under attack by this administration and liberal forces, we entreat Your mercy over America. The voting shows that America is desperately divided and unable to find wisdom in these troubled times. We humbly pray from the depths of our hearts for Your intervention.
- "Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation; and uphold me with Your free Spirit." (Psalm 51:12)
9. Obama's Apology Failed - Gary Bauer
Hussein Obama told ABC News yesterday that his apology to Afghan President Hamid Karzai for the burning of Korans on Bagram Air Force Base "calmed things down." No it didn't!
Two more U.S. soldiers were assassinated today when they were attacked by a member of the Afghan army and a teacher. A third person is believed to be in custody. USA Today reports, "Thursday's killings raised to six the number of Americans killed in less than two weeks . . . Hussein Obama and other U.S. officials apologized and said the burning was an accident, but that has failed to quell the anger."
In fact, groveling to the jihadists always inspires more violence, not less. Obama's weakness is putting our soldiers at risk.
- Pray that Obama will come to his senses and realize that apologizing is not the way out of this quagmire. Let him seek the LORD for wisdom in this matter, and ask for angelic protection for our troops on the land.
- "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5)
10. HOUSE PASSES MEASURE CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF PASTOR NADARKHANI - Congressoinal Prayer Caucus
Measure Passed by Voice Vote
This week, we in America who enjoy the fundamental human right of religious freedom have the opportunity to stand in unity for Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed H.Res.556, a resolution introduced by Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-16) condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, imprisonment, and sentencing of Pastor Nadarkhani for refusing to recant his Christian faith.
Last night, Reps. Randy Forbes, Joseph Pitts, and Robert Aderholt, Members of the Prayer Caucus, spoke on the House floor on this important resolution. You can watch Rep. Forbes' remarks by clicking this video.
You can watch Rep. Pitts' remarks by clicking here; and the full debate on the measure is available here. As Members of Congress came together on the House floor this week in support of this Resolution, Americans of all faiths and political persuasions across the country are also encouraged to join in prayer for Pastor Nadarkhani.
- Offer praise for this good report, and continue in prayer for a miracle in Iran. Only our God can intervene now in this matter to spare the life of this precious saint.
- "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." (2 Chronicles 20:12)
The Middle East in Focus
This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:
"The earth is the LORD's, and it's fullness; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods." (Psalm 24:1,2)
1. Barak, Panetta discuss Syria, Iran in Washington meeting - Jerusalem Post
Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Wednesday met his US counterpart Leon Panetta at the Pentagon in Washington, where the two leaders discussed security cooperation between Israel and the US.
2. Netanyahu to 'break new ground' in AIPAC speech - Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is scheduled to leave for Canada and the US late Thursday night for a visit that -- unlike previous trips to Washington and meetings with US President Barack Obama that focused on the Palestinians -- is expected this time to center on Iran.
3. Netanyahu will ask Hussein Obama to threaten Iran strike - Ha'aretz
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to publicly harden his line against Iran during a meeting with Hussein Obama in Washington on March 5, according to a senior Israeli official.
4. Hezbollah: Israeli attack on Iran would set Middle East ablaze - Ha'aretz
An Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear program would set the Middle East ablaze, possibly drag in the United States and unleash a conflict beyond Israel's control, the deputy head of Lebanon's pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement said.
5. Clinton defends administration record on Israel - Ynet News
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is dismissing Republican criticism of Hussein Obama's miserable record in supporting Israel and says United States aid would be the highest ever.
6. Israel can defend itself against barrages from Iran - Jerusalem Post
Israel's Arrow missile defense system could intercept barrages of Iranian long-range missiles, Arieh Herzog, who recently stepped down as head of the Defense Ministry's Homa Missile Defense Agency, has told The Jerusalem Post
FRC Statement on the Blunt Amendment
FRC Action Criticizes Senate Vote Opposing Blunt Amendment to Preserve Religious Liberty
March 01, 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council Action (FRC Action), the legislative advocacy arm of the Family Research Council, criticized the U.S. Senate vote today against Senator Roy Blunt's "Respect for the Rights of Conscience Act of 2011 " amendment. The amendment would have restored the status quo on conscience rights prior to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and protect against the recent mandate on abortifacients, sterilization and contraceptives by the Obama administration's Department of Health and Human Services.
FRC Action will score the vote in its annual scorecard.
Of the vote, FRC Action President Tony Perkins said:
"Today, 51 senators, led by Sen. Harry Reid, sacrificed the Constitutional right of religious liberty on the altar of the Obama administration's radical big-government agenda. They turned a deaf ear to the very real religious and moral objections of millions of Americans and the First Amendment rights of all.
"We thank Democrat Senators Joe Manchin, Robert Casey and Ben Nelson for standing up to their caucus and fighting for religious liberty. Their vote for Sen. Blunt's bill, along with support from Republican Senators ranging from pro-life Senator Kelly Ayotte to pro-abortion Senator Susan Collins showed that this is not about women's health but about whether the government can violate religious liberties.
"The President and Congress need to wake up and realize that they have run into an immovable wall of principle that religious liberties are still in fact fundamental rights in this country. No political machinations they attempt will surmount the unshakeable religious and moral convictions of those of us opposing this government mandate.
"We urge the House of Representatives to pass Congressman Jeff Fortenberry's legislation and send it back to the Senate as Americans increasingly realize that their fundamental religious liberties are being threatened."
- Place the FORCE OF INTERCESSION in agreement with Tony's last statement, above. This wickedness must stop!
- "He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness." (I Samuel 2:9)
Today's Legislative Focus
From The Madison Project
www.madisonproject.com
EDUCATION
Not only has Hussein Obama failed to roll back some of the federal interventions into education under No Child Left Behind, he has expanded interventions into higher education. House Republicans are putting forth a bill to repeal those regulations. The bill (HR 2117) would repeal two regulations on private for-profit colleges; one defines a credit hour, and the other sets minimum requirements that all higher education institutions must meet to be considered authorized by a state. There is no reason for the federal government to get involved in an issue that should be exclusively within the purview of the state.
Conservative concerns:
There are no concerns with H.R. 2117, as it is worthy of our support. However, this bill is part of a broader education reform effort in the House that conservatives should be watching. This week, the House Education and the Workforce Committee will mark up bills ( HR 3989 , HR 3990 ) that would revise parts of No Child Left Behind. The first bill is great. It eliminates the current No Child Left Behind (NCLB) accountability system known as Adequate Yearly Progress, which requires all students to be 100% proficient in reading and math for their grade level.
Unfortunately, instead of completely repealing NCLB, the second bill (HR 3990) institutes a new teacher evaluation system that is mandated on all states. We need to get the federal government completely out of education and send the money and responsibility back to state and local governments. If we are going to rewrite NCLB, let's repeal it, not just tweak it. The problem is that John Boehner was the primary author of the original NCLB bill, and he is not too enthusiastic to see his handiwork repudiated. In a future issue of our bulletin, we will be updating you on conservative reforms that we need to advocate.
The Cost Of ObamaCare
As we are learning every day, ObamaCare is going to cost us more than just trillions in new taxes and entitlement spending. It is costing us our freedom. And as Catholic leaders have been warning, there is a huge cost to religious liberty.
What is the potential cost to the Catholic Church and other religious institutions that refuse Obama's latest mandate to pay for abortion-inducing drugs? According to Politico, "The IRS is empowered to levy a tax penalty on noncompliant religious employers of $100 per day for each employee in their health plan."
That means a Catholic charity or hospital with 100 employees could be slapped with a $3.65 million fine every year. That would be the cost for the Church and other religious groups if they choose to exercise the freedom they have always enjoyed in this country. That is not freedom. It is extortion. (Gary Bauer)
An "American Spring?"
Beware The "American Spring"
We've been warning that this campaign is going to be brutal, and it will be. It might seem like the Occupy Wall Street movement died out in the winter, but it is not gone. It is hibernating. There are reports that it will reemerge in what is being called "The American Spring," modeled after the so-called "Arab Spring."
Tuesday night, several banks and a Starbucks in Portland, Oregon, were attacked by radicals and anarchists who sympathize with the Occupy movement. Emboldened by the timid response to the Occupiers, these thugs are growing more brazen. They emailed police shortly after each act of vandalism to brag about it. They wrote in one message, "Wherever capital chooses for its bunker, we will be there to attack it in the night."
Meanwhile, another "occupier" is in the hospital, recovering from severe burns he received after torching a historic town hall in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. His friends say they are "shocked." But one conceded, "There was a group that decided that the things they wanted to do to change the world would be illegal instead of working within the system."
Shocked? I'm not. Even liberal pollsters warned us that many in the Occupy movement were prone to violence, and the movement has an extensive rap sheet. (Gary Bauer)
AIPAC Meets Next Week
Annual Meeting of AIPAC Convenes This Weekend
The annual AIPAC Policy Conference is the largest gathering of the pro-Israel movement. Thousands of participants come from all 50 states to take part in "three of the most important days affecting Israel's future." The 2012 conference will be held March 4-6, 2012, in Washington, D.C. Thousands have already registered, don't miss out on this truly remarkable experience to be in our nation's capital with thousands of fellow pro-Israel supporters.
Confirmed Speakers for this year's conference include:
Hussein Obama
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli President Shimon Peres
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI)
Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
and many more . . .
You can follow the events of the Policy Conference on CSPAN by going here,
or at the Jerusalem Post by going here,
or by visiting AIPAC's website by going here.
Prayer Request:
With all of these world leaders gathered in one place this weekend, we ask special prayers of protection for each one. An estimated 13,000 guests will be present, too. Pray that all policy that comes out of this conference would be that which is in the center of God's will, and not man's agenda. Pray!
- "Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven." (Matthew 18:19)
PLEASE NOTE:
Our staff will be among the 13,000 guests at the AIPAC Conference, so we will not publish the OCAP on Monday. Instead, we will release an abbreviated edition of the Daily Brief that day. Thank you.
Prayers for Upcoming Meetings
THE MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON
Today Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak leaves for Washington for conferences with Vice President Biden, US Secretary of Defense Panetta and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (Barak was in Washington only two months ago, and recently hosted the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff in Israel). He will return to Israel on Thursday to brief PM Netanyahu before both the Prime Minister flies to Washington to take part along with Israeli President Shimon Peres in the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
While in the Capital, both leaders will confer with American President Barak Obama-Peres on Sunday, Netanyahu on Monday. The frequency of such high-level talks between the two countries is being called "unprecedented". The Prime Minister leaves no doubt that while addressing "the deplorable massacres that we see being perpetrated against innocent civilians in Syria", his talks with the American President will center around "the continued strengthening of Iran and its nuclear program". We see these meetings in Washington as of critical importance, and believe it crucial that they be attended by much prayer.
This week the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency released an extremely troubling quarterly report to the effect that Iran has significantly increased the pace of its uranium enrichment program, having produced almost 110 kg of uranium enriched to 20% since 2010 (Around 250 kg is needed for a nuclear weapon). On Tuesday, even as American intelligence analysts reported that they see no hard evidence that Iran is intent on building an atomic weapon, the wife of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a top Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated in Tehran in January, stated that her husband's ultimate aim in his work had always been the annihilation of the Zionist regime (Israel).that he had often expressed to her his desire to become a martyr to this cause.
We find it significant that on his way to Sunday's meeting in Washington, Prime Minister Netanyahu will stop first in Ottawa Thursday evening to consult with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a man with whom the Israeli premier feels perhaps more acceptance and friendship than with any other national leader. Mr Harper, whose strong commitment to his Christian faith is well known, has often gone "against the flow" by taking stands on Israel's behalf, both in his own government and in meetings of the G-8.
As Israel's Defense Minister, her Prime Minister and her President are engaged in high-level talks in Washington this and early next week . . .
PLEASE PRAY:
- That the Holy Spirit of God will overshadow the leaders conferring in Washington. That angels will be released to fight on behalf of the counsels of the LORD as opposed to those of man (Psalm 33:10-11). That the Fear of the Lord will be over each of these council meetings.
- That there will be a unity in the messages and bearing of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Peres. In 1981, Peres was publically against the bombing of the Iraqi reactor at Osirak, even sending a last-minute plea to PM Begin not to allow it. This past week a HaAretz report claimed that Peres was expected to tell the US President that he believes Israel should not attack Iran in the near future. Peres' office has denied this, yet it has already awakened suspicion amongst other leaders here. Under Israeli law, it is the elected government headed by the Prime Minister which makes decisions and negotiates and discloses policies, not the office of President, whose duties are primarily ceremonial.
- There has been much pressure on Israel to reveal her intentions regarding the Iranian threat. Pray that any Israeli state secrets or plans which need to be guarded will not be divulged. In an intercession meeting in Jerusalem Friday, we were reminded of Judges 16:16 where Samson resisted telling Delilah the secret of his strength, but "when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death.and he told her all his heart"-and II Kings 20:12-19 where Hezekiah unwisely showed the Babylonian envoys "all that is in his house; there was nothing in his storehouses that he did not show them." Pray that God will stop any mouths from speaking that which would bring harm to His purposes for Israel or the United States at this time.
- For Prime Minister Netanyahu's meetings with Prime Minister Harper, that their trust be strengthened; that Words of Wisdom and courage to be released to Mr Netanyahu by the Canadian leader. [Prayer Update From Israel (February 28, 2012) by Martin & Norma Sarvis.
A CALL FOR ALL-NIGHT PRAYER
In the face of the momentous events that are about to take place here in Washington, D.C. over this next weekend, we feel to abstain from publishing a GOOD NEWS report tonight, but rather to ask each of you to consider:
1) Devoting tomorrow, Friday, March 2, as a day of prayer and fasting in advance of those meetings
2) For those who are able: to maintain an ALL-NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL on Friday night/Saturday morning to cover the meetings that shall soon take place between the Prime Minister of the nation of Israel and in Hussein Obama (now scheduled for Monday morning, March 5th).
3) To use the prayer requests posted in the article immediately preceding this one as your guide to intercession.
We invite your own prayers of agreement, too, that the LORD can and will move in the hearts of kings, as we ask Him to do so.
DECREE:
1) "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Proverbs 21:1)
2) "Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him and all nations shall serve Him." (Psalm 72:11)
3) "Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land." (Psalm 85:9)
Worship with Us Today!
Shout to the Lord
Praise Him, saints of God!!!
