The Daily Brief: Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017

The Daily Brief: Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 (Short Form)

1. Trump Goes Straight to the People on Tax Reform: Call Your Congressmen and Demand It - TownHall

Speaking from the Indiana State Fairgrounds Wednesday afternoon, President Trump officially rolled out his plan to overhaul the American tax system and urged voters to call their congressmen in support.

"Today I am asking all Americans, Republican, Democrat, Independent, to join with me and with each other to demand tax reform that will truly, truly, truly, make American great again," Trump said. "Call your congressmen, call your senators, let them know you are watching. Let them know you're waiting. Tell them that today is the day for decision. That now is the time to heal this self-inflicted economic room and that with their action, the future would belong to all of us."

"If you demand it, the politicians will listen. They will answer and they will act," he continued. "Tax reform has not historically been a partisan issue and it doesn't have to be a partisan issue today."

President Trump also went after Indiana's Democrat Senator Joe Donnelly, who was invited to attend the speech along with North Dakota Democrat Senator Heidi Heitkamp. Donnelly rode from Washington D.C. to Indiana on Air Force One Wednesday with the President ahead of the announcement.

"If Joe Donnelly doesn't approve it [tax reform] we will come here -- we will campaign against him like you wouldn't believe," Trump said.

During his remarks, the President reiterated details about the plan released by the White House Tuesday morning. Just before the President took the stage, the White House released the full tax reform plan. (Read more)
- Father, we pray this political momentum will get tax reform accomplished for the American people.

- Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. (2 Corinthians 8:11)

2. Taliban Tries To Kill Mattis During Surprise Afghanistan Visit - Daily Caller

The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack on Kabul International Airport Wednesday morning targeting Defense Secretary Jim Mattis who was making an unscheduled visit to Afghanistan.

Mattis had left the airport by the time the attack started, NBC News reports, and no casualties have been reported.

The airport said two missiles were fired toward the airport at around 11:00 a.m. local time, and the U.S. embassy warns that the attack may still be ongoing.

"At 11.36 am two missiles were fired on Kabul International Airport from Deh Sabz district, damaging the air force hangers and destroying one helicopter and damaging three other helicopters, but there were no casualties," airport chief Yaqub Rassouli said according to USA Today. (Read more)
- Father, we pray Secretary Mattis and all our military personnel will be protected as they accomplish their missions overseas.

- O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent.
(Psalm 140:1)

3. Trump cuts Obama's refugee target in half, takes more Christians than Muslims - Washington Times

President Trump, in just eight months in office, has succeeded in upending U.S. refugee policy, cutting by more than half the 110,000-refugee target that the Obama administration had bequeathed him and dramatically shifting the demographics of who is accepted.

Gone is President Obama's overwhelming focus on Muslims, and particularly on Syrians fleeing a civil war that his administration facilitated. Under Mr. Trump, the rate of Syrian refugees has been cut by more than 80 percent, and Christians have overtaken Muslims in total refugees resettled.

"It's impossible to escape the clear message that there's a new sheriff in town," said Matthew O'Brien, research director at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for stricter refugee controls.

The Trump changes have reverberated around the globe, with the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees drastically cutting the number of refugee candidates it submits to the U.S.

After recommending nearly 35,000 refugee candidates last year, the UNHCR submitted just 3,591 applications from January to July.(Read more)
- Thank-You, Jesus! We pray our policies will continue to admit vulnerable Christians while screening out those who would do our nation harm.

- He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.
(Psalm 147:13)

4. Lawmakers Set Sights on Obama Unmasking Scandal - Washington Free Beacon

Senior congressional leaders are renewing their focus on an investigation into efforts by the Obama administration to obtain highly classified intelligence information on Trump administration allies in what many allege was an effort to undermine the president and his national security team, according to conversations with multiple senior U.S officials familiar with the situation.

The recent admission by Obama administration National Security Adviser Susan Rice that she requested the unmasking of Trump associates named in highly classified intelligence community reports has placed renewed attention on an investigation into why this information was obtained and then leaked to the press.

In addition to Rice, former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power and other senior Obama officials made hundreds of similar unmasking requests in what many allege was a campaign to handicap the incoming Trump administration's national security agenda, according to multiple sources familiar with the ongoing investigation into the matter. (Read more)
- Father, we pray Obama administration officials who violated the privacy of American citizens, particularly of their political opponents, will be fully exposed and prosecuted.

- How terrible it will be for those who try to hide things from the Lord and who do their work in darkness. They think no one will see them or know what they do.
(Isaiah 29:15)

5. Sessions: 'Freedom of Thought and Speech' Are Under Attack on U.S.College Campuses - CNS News

In a speech delivered at Georgetown University, Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday warned that free speech is under attack on U.S. college campuses, citing recent examples where school administrators banned speech deemed offensive, set up "cramped" free speech zones, disinvited speakers and even offered counseling ahead of planned speeches.

Sessions pointed to a survey by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education that found that 40 percent of U.S. college speech codes "substantially infringe" on protected speech.

"In 2017, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education surveyed 450 colleges and universities across the country and found that 40 percent maintain speech codes that substantially infringe on constitutionally protected speech. Of the public colleges surveyed, which are bound by the First Amendment, fully one-third had written policies banning disfavored speech," he said. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for our universities and the young people who are taught without the light of Your Truth. We pray our youth will turn from the darkness to Your marvelous light.

- But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

6. Sessions: NFL Should Require Players to Stand for Anthem - Fox News

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the National Football League should crack down on players kneeling in protest during the national anthem. Asked whether he thought the NFL should require players to stand at attention, Sessions was firm.

"I do," Sessions responded. "I think it should be a formal rule of the league. They should be able to say to the players, 'If you're on our field, in our game, paid by us, you should respect the flag and the national anthem,'" Sessions told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday.

Players across the country and some entire teams refused to stand for the anthem over the weekend, many pushing back on President Trump's heavy criticism at a Friday rally in Alabama.

"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a ***** off the field right now, he's fired,'" Trump said.

Sessions said Trump was "exactly right" to speak out against the disrespect towards the anthem. (Read more)
- Father, as this situation continues to escalate, we pray You would bring peace and civility to the conversation. We pray for leadership to emerge within the NFL to resolve this issue, showing respect for everyone.

- Show respect for all people: Love the brothers and sisters of God's family, respect God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17)

7. US spy chief urges Congress to renew surveillance authority - McClatchy DC

Intelligence Director Dan Coats Monday urged Congress to tread carefully as it considers imposing limitations on surveillance authorities enjoyed by the nation's spy agencies for nearly a decade.

"This is clearly a major issue for the intelligence community," Coats told a group of journalists at his office complex in suburban Virginia. "It's one of our top priorities."

The administration of President Donald Trump has called on Congress to renew and make permanent some powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which expire at the end of this year. Those powers permit collection of electronic communications of foreigners who are deemed potential threats to U.S. national security, a list of targets that this year topped 106,000.

A scattering of legislators from both parties have called for limitations on surveillance power, voicing concerns from libertarian and civil liberties perspectives that U.S. citizens are getting swept up in the data collection. (Read more)
- Father, we pray, as a condition of renewal, Congress will provide additional protections for citizens and place Constitutional limits on the information gathered by our intelligence agencies.

- We talked about this problem because some false believers had come into our group secretly. They came in like spies to overturn the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to make us slaves. (Galatians 2:4)

8. GOP Controls Labor Board - Washington Free Beacon

Republicans hold majority on the nation's top federal labor arbiter for the first time since 2007 after the Senate confirmed Trump nominee William Emanuel on Monday.

The Senate voted 49-47 to confirm Emanuel, a management-side labor attorney at Littler Mendelson and member at the conservative Federalist Society, to fill the final vacancy at the National Labor Relations Board, which oversees workplace disputes and union elections.

Emanuel's appointment marks the first time Republicans have controlled the five-member board since 2007 and follows the confirmation of chief counsel of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission Marvin Kaplan in August. The 3-2 GOP majority comes as the agency considers challenges to several controversial decisions made under the Obama administration.

Emanuel won praise from conservative think tanks, as well as business groups, which frequently criticized the NLRB for disregarding precedent to advance the interests of organized labor.

Trey Kovacs, a labor policy expert at the pro-free-market Competitive Enterprise Institute, said that a Republican majority could undo the NLRB's approach to micro-unions, holding parent companies and contractors liable for labor practices of franchisees and subcontractors, as well as union election practices.

"It's essential that the NLRB start to undo the harm caused during the Obama administration, when the board put out numerous job-killing decisions and rules that weaken worker choice," Kovacs said in a statement. (Read more)
- Father God, we thank You for filling this position with William Emanuel and pray Your blessing upon him as he shifts the NLRB to pursue policies that enhance job growth and improve business.

- The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. (Proverbs 20:7)

9. Critics: State Department Delaying Aid Congress Provided to Yazidis, Christians in Iraq - Washington Free Beacon

Human rights activists and Catholic groups are questioning why the State Department still appears reluctant to direct money Congress appropriated to assist Christians, Yazidis, and other persecuted religious minorities in Iraq but this week quickly dispatched $32 million to help a majority Muslim group fleeing violence in Burma.

The State Department on Thursday announced it would provide a humanitarian aid package worth nearly $32 million to the Rohingya, a persecuted minority group in Burma, most of whom are Muslim. More than 400,000 Rohingya have fled Burma, a majority Buddhist nation, for Bangladesh over the past month to escape wide-scale violence that the United Nations' top human rights official has labeled ethnic cleansing.

The aid package came the day after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke with Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Burma, and urged the Burmese government and military to "address deeply troubling allegations of human rights abuses and violations." (Read more)
- Father, we pray these actions will expose those in the State Department who are malevolently withholding funds from the people who need it most.

- God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you." (1 Corinthians 5:13)

10. Kurds Threatened With Starvation For Independence Vote - Daily Caller

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to seal his border with Iraqi Kurdistan Tuesday after the regional government held an independence referendum.

Iraqi Kurds rely on an oil pipeline running through Turkey to reap profits and gets much of its food supplies from its neighbor, but have long sought an independent state. Kurds turned out in large numbers Monday in a likely vote to separate from the Iraqi government, threatening to vault much of the region into chaos.

Erdogan's threat comes as the country conducts military exercises along the Kurdish border in another signal of its disapproval with the decision to hold the referendum.

"This referendum decision, which has been taken without any consultation, is treachery," he blustered. Turkey has long battled a Kurdish insurgency within its own country and likely fears that the independence vote may spark increased tensions within its own country.

Turkey and Iran issued a joint statement before the referendum foreshadowing his Monday threat of "counter-measures" if the country took any move at independence too quickly. Iran also has a large Kurdish population. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for the Kurdish people and lift up their desire to have a homeland. They have been persecuted from all sides and need Your help, Lord. We pray Turkey, Iraq and Syria would not be able to cut them off.

- The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:6)

The Daily Brief: Wednesday, September 27, 2017

The Daily Brief: Wednesday, September 27, 2017 (Short Form)

1. North Korea Moving Weapons Into Position To Actually Shoot Down A US Aircraft - Daily Caller

North Korea has reportedly been boosting its defenses along its east coast in response to U.S. bomber flights near the rogue regime. After U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancers, powerful conventional bombers, flew past North Korea Saturday, South Korea's National Intelligence Agency saw the Korean People's Army moving warplanes and coastal defense units into position in the eastern part of the country.

"Since the U.S. declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down the United States' strategic bombers, even when they are not yet inside the airspace border of our country," North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said Monday.

While North Korea asserts that President Donald Trump's speech at the United Nations was a declaration of war, the White House claims that the regime's thoughts on this issue are absurd, adding that the Trump administration has not declared war on North Korea. It is unclear if North Korea would or even could shoot down a modern U.S. aircraft, although it should be noted that North Korea has shot down U.S. military aircraft in the past. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for a de-escalation of tensions with North Korea and for President Trump and his advisors to have great wisdom.

- Wisdom and money can protect you. But knowledge gained through wisdom is even better-it can save your life. (Ecclesiastes 7:12)

2. U.S. hits North Korean banks with sanctions - Washington Times

The Trump administration slapped sanctions Tuesday on eight North Korean banks and 26 of their bank workers living abroad, part of the continuing response to Pyongyang's illicit nuclear weapons and missile programs. President Trump said at a news conference that the sanctions will further "isolate the North Korean menace."

The Treasury Department announced it was freezing the assets in U.S. jurisdiction of the entities and individuals with ties to North Korea's financial networks."We are targeting North Korean banks and financial facilitators acting as representatives for North Korean banks across the globe," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "This further advances our strategy to fully isolate North Korea in order to achieve our broader objectives of a peaceful and denuclearized Korean peninsula. This action is also consistent with U.N. Security Council resolutions." (Read more)
- Lord God, we ask that these new sanctions will have the intended effect on the leadership of the nation of North Korea. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we command the spirit of insanity that is in the mind of Kim Jong Un to be bound, and the spirit of a sound mind to be loosed. We ask that You set this captive, and his nation free, to know You and to worship You in Spirit and in Truth, amen.

- "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:18)

3. As North Korea threatens electromagnetic pulse attack, questions over lapses in US grid security rise - Fox News

For more than 15 years, security and intelligence officials - including former CIA Director James Woolsey - have been raising the alarm bells about the vulnerability of the U.S. power grid to an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. Only now as tensions with North Korea quickly escalate - with the rogue nation refusing to back down from its nuclear testing and threats of such an onslaught - is the matter really generating attention.

But according to U.S. defense and security officials, while there are players purporting to protect the nation's critical infrastructure given millions of American lives on the line, the reality is that no one really knows what will happen and what can be done.

"We recognize that an EMP event would have extremely dire consequences for the entire country, but where the challenge comes is in attempting to quantify those impacts," one high-ranking Department of Homeland Security official, who requested anonymity, told Fox News. "This is not something we have had a lot of real world experience with." (Read more)
- Father, we know our preparations are useless without Your help and protection. We pray for Your mercy upon our land and our people.

- But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
(2 Thessalonians 3:3)

4. McConnell Says Republicans Are Giving Up on Health Bill - NY Times

Senator Mitch McConnell on Tuesday officially pulled the plug on the latest plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, telling senators they will not vote on the measure and effectively admitting defeat in the last-gasp drive to fulfill a core promise of President Trump and Republican lawmakers.

Mr. McConnell's announcement came less than 24 hours after a pivotal Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, declared firm opposition to the repeal proposal, all but ensuring that Republican leaders would be short of the votes they needed.

Senate Republicans already tried once this year to approve repeal legislation, an exercise that ended in defeat when Senator John McCain of Arizona gave a thumbs-down in July to kill that repeal proposal. (Read more)
- TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN PRAYING SO INTENSIVELY TO SEE THIS BILL PASSED:

We decree NO to this news!

Senator McConnell CAN yet change his mind, and this vote CAN be taken, and this bill CAN be passed, in Jesus' mighty name, amen!

- "But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten". (Jeremiah 20:11)

5. Sessions to declare free speech 'under attack' on campus, in broadside at political correctness - Fox News

Attorney General Jeff Sessions plans to declare freedom of speech is "under attack" at American colleges and universities, during an address Tuesday taking aim at political correctness run amok on campus.

Sessions plans to tackle the hot-button issue of free speech on campus at Georgetown University Law Center, following a series of clashes at Berkeley and beyond over conservative speakers.

"Freedom of thought and speech on the American campus are under attack," Sessions plans to say, according to excerpts obtained in advance by Fox News. "Whereas the American University was once the center of academic freedom - a place of robust debate, a forum for the competition of ideas - it is transforming into an echo chamber of political correctness and homogenous thought, a shelter for fragile egos." (Read more)
- Father God, we thank You that our Attorney General and the Department of Justice will now intervene on college campuses to ensure that all students are granted the right to speak freely, and safely. Praise You, Lord, amen.

- "Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him." (Isaiah 30:18)

6. Dems Are Looking To Work With GOP On Tax Reform - Daily Caller

Democrats in both the U.S. House and Senate are reaching across the aisle to work with President Donald Trump and Republican leadership to pass a tax reform bill. Three Democratic senators and at least eight House members are actively engaged in ongoing negotiations with Trump and members of his administration to accomplish the first major legislative achievement of the president's presidency.

Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana dined with president at the White House on Sept. 12 to discuss how to reach a bipartisan solution to tax reform that would provide relief for the middle-class and bolster economic growth. Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, along with committee members Sens. John Thune of South Dakota and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, all Republicans, also attended the dinner.

Trump is scheduled to meet with a bipartisan group of House Ways and Means Committee members Tuesday, which notably includes Democratic Reps. Richard Neal of Massachusetts, Lloyd Doggett of Texas, Brian Higgins of New York, Ron Kind of Wisconsin, John Larson of Connecticut, Linda Sanchez of California, Terri Sewell of Alabama and Mike Thompson of California. (Read more)
- Father, we pray the saying, "you can get a lot accomplished if you don't care who gets the credit" will be true for tax reform. Help our legislators work together for the benefit of the people.

- "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 4:15)

7. New Poll Finds Bipartisan Consensus Among Voters on Need for Tax Reform - Washington Free Beacon

There is a bipartisan consensus among American voters that Congress should make passing a comprehensive tax reform bill that lowers taxes for the middle class a top priority, according to a poll released on Tuesday. The poll, conducted last week, found that three in four voters say tax reform should either be a top priority (43 percent) or an important priority (30 percent) for Congress. Only 10 percent said tax reform is "not too important" and a lesser 4 percent said tax reform "should not be done."

There appears to be a consensus among voters on what should be prioritized within the bill, with voters from both parties saying it is most important to them that the tax rate is lowered for the middle class. Forty-nine percent of Democrats and 46 percent of Republicans said lowering middle class taxes is most important.

One of the other top issues for voters, according to the poll, is creating a tax code that rewards businesses for prioritizing American workers. A majority of voters said it is very important that tax reform creates incentives for businesses to create jobs in America, manufacture products in America, and be headquartered in America. (Read more)
- Father, we pray for the political will and momentum to push tax reform over the finish line!

- It is better to finish something than to start it. It is better to be patient than to be proud. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

8. 'Apocalyptic' devastation in Puerto Rico, and little help in sight - CNN

Hurricane Maria whipped Puerto Rico with Irma-level winds, drenched the island with Harvey-level flooding, crippled communications, decimated buildings and damaged a dam that puts downstream residents at risk of catastrophe.

But help has been slow to come to communities where the devastation is described as "apocalyptic," officials and residents argue.

Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said the island faces a humanitarian crisis. He urged Congress to approve a commensurate aid package as the US commonwealth, already hammered by a prolonged economic crisis, tries to get back on its feet.

The governor joined others in emphasizing that Puerto Ricans are American citizens.

"We need something tangible, a bill that actually answers to our need right now," he said. "Otherwise, there will be . . . a massive exodus to the (mainland) United States." (Read more)
- Father, our hearts go out to the millions of people who live on the island of Puerto Rico. They need a miracle, Lord . . . many miracles. We thank You that You are the God who makes the impossible, possible. In Your Name we pray, amen.

- And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

9. FEMA has money to spend in Puerto Rico, but Congress will need to act soon - McClatchy DC

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico less than a week ago, but the Federal Emergency Management Administration has more relief funding available than it did after Hurricane Harvey. After Harvey hit the Houston area, Congress passed a $15.25 billion hurricane relief bill when President Donald Trump struck a deal with Democrats. FEMA was only a few days away from running out of money.

Nearly half of the hurricane relief package that passed in early September, $7.4 billion, is going to FEMA, allowing it to stay afloat while it responds to the crisis in Puerto Rico and cleanup in Florida after Hurricane Irma. A FEMA spokesperson told the Miami Herald that the agency has just over $5 billion in uncommitted disaster relief money as of Monday morning.

"Our focus is still continuing to be on the life-saving efforts and the immediate disaster response efforts which are still currently under way," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. A Republican staffer with knowledge of the appropriations process said that federal funding for hurricane relief will be "fine until mid-October" and that Congress will likely vote on an additional funding bill in the next three weeks. (Read more)
- Father, we pray the people of Puerto Rico will receive the help they need and we pray they would turn their hearts and lives to You in their distress.

- For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall again into fear; rather, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15)

10. Trump to visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, says he is 'very proud' of 'amazing' response - ABC News

Shortly after announcing plans to visit Puerto Rico next week, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is "very proud" of the response to the devastation left by Hurricane Maria on the island, claiming that relief efforts have been described as "amazing."

At a joint White House press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Trump described the challenges faced by the U.S. territory in the aftermath of the storm but touted the work being done to bring "water, food and supplies" to the island.

"Everybody has said, it's amazing the job we have done in Puerto Rico," said Trump. "We're very proud of it." (Read more}
- Lord God, we have now been hit by three ferocious storms in less than one month: Harvey, Irma and now Maria. Father, we can only turn to You now, and to Your supernatural supply. Help us, O Lord we pray, amen.

- "And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:19)

The Daily Brief: Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Daily Brief: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 (Short Form)

1. North Korea accuses U.S. of declaring war, says can take countermeasures - MSN

North Korea's foreign minister said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump had declared war on North Korea and that Pyongyang reserves the right to take countermeasures, including shooting down U.S. strategic bombers even if they are not in the country's air space.

"The whole world should clearly remember it was the U.S. who first declared war on our country," Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told reporters in New York.

"Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country." (Read more)
- Lord, this development shows how unstable and crazy the leadership of North Korea has become that they would think a Tweet is a declaration of war. We speak peace into this tension and in the Name of Jesus we ask that You step in and not allow anything that is not in Your plan and purpose.

- "And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie." (2 Thess 2:11)

2. Report: Hawaii Officials Are Preparing for Nuclear Attack- Newsmax

Hawaii officials last Tuesday held a secret meeting to discuss how to help the public prepare for a possible North Korea nuclear attack, the Honolulu Civil Beat reported.

"Now it's time to take it seriously," said state Rep. Gene Ward, "not to be an alarmist but to be informing people." Tensions between North Korea and the U.S. continue to escalate, with President Donald Trump last week threatening to "totally destroy North Korea."

North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho on Saturday responded with a speech at the UN General Assembly where he said Pyongyang possesses a hydrogen bomb that can be coupled with an intercontinental ballistic missile and will be ready to use if needed. (Read more)
- Father, we pray against any nuclear action by North Korea. We ask for Your peace over Hawaii, and Your hedge of protection around them.

- "I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace." (Psalm 85:8)

3. FEMA to Conduct a Mandatory Nationwide Test Tomorrow - Alerts USA/FEMA

Be advised that FEMA and the FCC will conduct a mandatory nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Wednesday, September 27 at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

The test will assess the readiness for distribution of the national level test message as well as verify its delivery. (Read more)
- Father, we understand that this alert system will also allow the President to speak to the entire nation, as needed, at one time. Lord God, we pray that this strategy will not be needed, even as we pray for the successful outcome of this national test.

- "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:14)

4. Iran's supposed missile launch was fake, US officials say - Fox News

Iranian state television released video footage Friday claiming to show the launch of a new type of medium-range ballistic missile, a few hours after it was displayed during a military parade in Tehran. But it turns out Iran never fired a ballistic missile, sources say. The video released by the Iranians was more than seven months old - dating back to a failed launch in late January, which resulted in the missile exploding shortly after liftoff, according to two U.S. officials.

President Trump had originally responded to the reported launch in a late-Saturday tweet, saying, "Iran just test-fired a Ballistic Missile capable of reaching Israel. They are also working with North Korea. Not much of an agreement we have!" This was after Trump, speaking before world leaders at the United Nations, called the Iran nuclear deal an "embarrassment" to the United States. "We cannot let a murderous regime continue these destabilizing activities while building dangerous missiles, and we cannot abide by an agreement if it provides cover for the eventual construction of a nuclear program," he said.

Trump later told reporters he had made up his mind about the deal, but wouldn't say whether he would pull the United States out of the nuclear accord with Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, speaking at the U.N. one day after Trump, maintained his country's missile program was "solely defensive" in nature. "We never threaten anyone, but we do not tolerate threats from anyone," he said. Rohani returned to Tehran two days later to preside over the missile parade featuring the new medium-range design and said his country would build as many missiles as necessary to defend itself. Afterward, the footage was aired, with Iranian media claiming a successful test launch - though it apparently showed the failed January launch. (Read more)
- Father, this nation that chants "Death to America" at every opportunity is not worthy of our trust. We ask for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit across that nation and especially into their leadership.

- "Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken."
(Psalm 37:15)

5. New Order Indefinitely Bars Almost All Travel From Seven Countries - NYT

President Trump on Sunday issued a new order indefinitely banning almost all travel to the United States from seven countries, including most of the nations covered by his original travel ban, citing threats to national security posed by letting their citizens into the country.

The new order is more far-reaching than the president's original travel ban, imposing permanent restrictions on travel, rather than the 90-day suspension that Mr. Trump authorized soon after taking office. But officials said his new action was the result of a deliberative, rigorous examination of security risks that was designed to avoid the chaotic rollout of his first ban. And the addition of non-Muslim countries could address the legal attacks on earlier travel restrictions as discrimination based on religion.(Read more)
- Lord, we pray that You will protect Americans from people coming into the country who intend to harm us. Preserve our nation and its heritage, Lord, and let Your Spirit cause us to return to You.

- "Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me n a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries." (Psalm 27:11,12a)

6. Secret Service arrests person with firearms near White House - Fox News

The Secret Service says it arrested someone near the White House on Sunday for possessing firearms.

In a statement Monday, the agency says officers were approached by an individual at 17th Street NW and Pennsylvania Avenue at about 7:15 a.m. Sunday. The location is the Old Executive Office Building, part of the White House grounds.

The Secret Service says the person was arrested for possessing "several firearms." It provided no further details. (Read more)
- Lord, we continue to stand strong asking You to protect our President and our leadership. Though we don't know the circumstances of this incident, we know that their lives have been in danger.

- "My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies."
(Psalm 31:15)

7. Graham, Cassidy pull out the stops in race to uproot ObamaCare - Fox News

Republicans' attempt this week to repeal and replace ObamaCare in the Senate is supposed to be their last shot.

Maybe.

The effort looks bleak right now as the Senate careens toward a Sept. 30 deadline to try to rip out the 2010 health care law and replace it with a plan engineered by GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina, and Bill Cassidy, Louisiana. They retooled their blueprint over the weekend by bolstering funding for Alaska and Maine to court the states' respective GOP senators, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, who each have expressed skepticism about the bill but aren't hard noes yet.

The legislation largely sends health care dollars to states as "block grants," permitting states to use the money as they see fit. It's doubtful the Senate will this week have a complete analysis of the legislation from the Congressional Budget Office. (Read more)

SEE ALSO: "Collins says no on ObamaCare repeal bill, effectively derailing Graham-Cassidy legislation" - Fox News (Go here)
- Father, with the defectors against it, this legislation is doomed short of a miracle. So now, we turn to YOU, Holy One, asking for that miracle, amen!

Lord, You promised to take care of the poor and the widows, so we call on Your Name to accomplish Your Word. We pray for all of the citizens of this nation to be saved from the high premiums and high deductibles that Obamacare has brought.

- "He raises the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the ash heap."
(Psalm 113:7)

8. Congress Fights Back Against UN's Anti-Israel Blacklist With 'Anti-Boycott Act' - Breaking Israel News

In response to United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) efforts to undermine Israel's legitimacy through their Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Act of 2017, the U.S. Congress and Senate have introduced a bipartisan bill, the "Israel Anti-Boycott Act," that would protect U.S. companies targeted by the international boycotts and punish those who comply with them.

Earlier this March, the UNHRC voted in favor (32 nations in favor and 15 abstentions) of the BDS Act of 2017, which entails creating a "blacklist" of companies enabling or benefitting from the growth of Israeli settlements. Blacklisted companies under the BDS Act of 2017, the full list of which will be published this December, include major American corporations like Coca-Cola, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Airbnb, and TripAdvisor.

The UN blacklist treads in the footsteps of the broader BDS movement, which was established in 2005 in an attempt to economically undermine Israel's sovereignty. The stated goal of the BDS movement, according to its founders, is to "end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law." (Read more)
- Lord, we thank You for this bipartisan bill and ask that it be implemented to protect companies that do business with Israel. We take authority over this Haman spirit in the UN and loose Your Spirit and the Blood of Jesus Christ against it. May it fall, as Haman fell.

- "Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned." (Psalm 34:21)

9. New DACA bill proposed by Republicans - CBS

Republican Senators Thom Tillis, James Lankford and Orrin Hatch unveiled their latest immigration reform effort, a first step toward fixing the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program which the Trump administration recently announced it was rescinding. The three senators announced the SUCCEED Act (Solution for Undocumented Children through Careers Employment Education and Defending our nation), which they called a "fair and compassionate" merit-based solution to issues facing undocumented children currently in the U.S.

"If you work hard, follow the law and pay your taxes, you can stay here permanently," Sen. Tillis promised Dreamers.

The proposed legislation mandates that in order to receive "conditional status" in the U.S., a recipient must be maintaining gainful employment, pursuing higher education or serving in the U.S. military. Under the bill, eligibility for protective status includes having arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16 years, holding a high school diploma or equivalent, passing an extensive criminal background check, submitting biometric data to the Department of Homeland Security and being able to pay off any existing federal tax liabilities. (Read more)
- Father, we ask for Your heart in this issue. The previous President illegally created a law that should have been created by Congress, hence this "fix." We ask that in Your wisdom, only that which You have ordained be passed.

- "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)

10. Anthony Weiner sentenced to 21 months in prison in teen sexting case - Fox News

Disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner was sentenced Monday to 21 months in prison, facing the most severe penalty yet in connection with the sexting scandal that drove the New York Democrat out of Congress, ruined his marriage and became a late issue in the 2016 presidential race.

U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote issued the sentence in federal court in New York. "This is a serious crime that deserves serious punishment," Cote said in a statement. The former lawmaker's sexting habits entered criminal territory with his illicit contact with a 15-year-old girl. Weiner, 53, had pleaded guilty in May to sending sexually explicit texts to the girl across state lines. Weiner agreed not to appeal any sentence between 21 and 27 months in prison.

Weiner openly wept in court on Monday as the judge announced the sentence. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release, given a $10,000 fine, and required to forfeit his iPhone. Weiner must surrender on Nov. 6 to a yet-to-be determined prison facility. (Read more)

- Lord, we pray that You will use this situation to change this man's heart from sin to righteousness. We also pray for the young girl involved to come to know You as her Lord and Savior.

- "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." (Ezekiel 36:26a)

11. Pence, Bannon, Robertson stump in Alabama for Senate candidates - Fox News

Across Alabama on Monday night, Vice President Mike Pence, Steve Bannon and Phil Robertson, of Duck Dynasty, were all seen on stage stumping for the two candidates running in Alabama's runoff election on Tuesday.

Vice President Pence took the stage in Birmingham supporting incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, while Steve Bannon and Phil Robertson rallied in Fairhope for former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore.

After walking on stage, Pence echoed President Trump's sentiments from Friday, saying how much he loved the state of Alabama and how much they needed the peoples' help to send Strange back to the U.S. Senate. (Read more)

- Father, we ask that You would grant the voters in the State of Louisiana "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" Your will in the selection of their next United States Senator. In Your name, amen.

- "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Rev. 3:22)