Capitol Conversations

On April 2, the House Judiciary Committee held its first hearing for H.R. 5, the Equality Act. This legislation would reopen the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to redefine “sex” to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” as a federally protected classes. Jeff, Travis, and Chelsea welcome Andrew Walker from the ERLC’s Nashville office to discuss the cultural background of this bill and how the Equality Act would devastate the legal protections for sex, women’s equality, and the country’s first freedom of religious liberty. The group also gives an update on the movement happening with the Born Alive Act in the House.

Andrew T. Walker is the ERLC’s Director of Research and Senior Fellow in Christian Ethics. He researches, speaks, and writes about the intersection of Christian ethics, public policy, and the church’s social witness. He also oversees the ERLC's academic initiatives and directs the ERLC's Research Institute. Andrew holds a B.A. from Southwest Baptist University, and an M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Christian, and they have three daughters. He blogs at andrewtwalker.com.

On December 11, 2018, House Resolution (H.R.) 390—the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018—became law. David Trimble and Nathaniel Hurd, two people who played a significant role in passing this bill, join Travis Wussow to discuss the almost two year battle to provide emergency aid to persecuted minorities in Iraq and Syria. They also discuss how this bill has been implemented since its passage and what hope we have for the situation on the ground.

David Trimble is Director of the Center for Religious Freedom Education at the Religious Freedom Institute. He is also a Senior Fellow of the RFI Middle East and International Religious Freedom Policy Action Teams. He was formerly a principal at the leading D.C. firm of Van Scoyoc Associates. For many years, David has provided counsel to federal agencies, independent clients, and governments on such varied topics as international affairs, foreign policy, education, and religious liberty. Throughout his career, Mr. Trimble has provided leadership in the field of education – launching seminal programs and driving new policies and innovation. David holds a J.D. from Texas A&M University School of Law, M.Div. from Southwestern Seminary, and completed substantial post-graduate studies at Baylor University and Southwestern.

Nathaniel Hurd is a Senior Policy Advisor for the US Helsinki Commission. Hurd joined the Commission in October 2014. His portfolio includes international freedom of religion and humanitarian emergencies. Previously, he was Senior Policy Advisor for Conflicts & Disasters at World Vision and held similar positions at the International Rescue Committee and Mercy Corps. His 18-year career has mostly focused on international humanitarian and human rights crises, including those resulting from religious persecution, and his expertise includes the United Nations. Nathaniel has interviewed and spent time with many survivors of violence – in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Ethiopia, and Somalia – who were forced to flee from their homes and seek refuge in other countries as refugees or were internally displaced in their own. These survivors were from a cross-section of faiths and some were originally targeted for their faith. Nathaniel holds a B.A. in international relations from Hamilton College and Master’s of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments at the end of February on the Bladensburg cross case, in which the Justices must answer the constitutionality of a war memorial in the shape of a cross seated on government-owned property. On this episode, we go inside the courtroom with journalist Tom Strode who gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the case. Then Travis, Steven, and Jeff discuss the Establishment Clause and what makes America’s idea of separation of church and state unique.

Tom Strode serves as the bureau chief and Washington, D.C., correspondent for Baptist Press, the Southern Baptist Convention's news service. He is also a pastor at Covenant Community Church in Fredericksburg, Va.

The ERLC policy team gathered for a wide ranging conversation on the last week of February. The group covers the significance of Black History Month, the recent news and response to sexual abuse stories in SBC churches, and the Senate’s failure to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Jeff and Chelsea discuss why this commonsense infanticide bill failed and how the pro-life community should respond.

Ahead of the Senate vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, Jeff and Chelsea welcome pro-life and adoption advocate Melissa Ohden to the roundtable to share her story. Melissa was herself born-alive after a failed abortion attempt at seven months gestation. Her story is an awesome testament to God’s grace, the power of forgiveness, and the inherent dignity every person deserves no matter how small.

Melissa Ohden is the survivor of a failed saline infusion abortion in 1977. She’s a pro-life and adoption advocate, and has a Master’s Degree in Social work, and has worked in the fields of substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence and sexual assault counseling, and child welfare. She’s testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate and the Australian Parliament. Melissa founded the Abortion Survivors Network, which seeks to educate the public about failed abortions and survivors, while providing for emotional, mental, and spiritual support to abortion survivors.

Melissa Ohden’s Website | MelissaOhden.com

Melissa’s book | You Carried Me

ERLC | What’s happening with the debate on infanticide in Congress? by Policy Staff

ERLC | SCOTUS temporarily blocks abortion regulation by Palmer Williams

ERLC Internship Program

The debate in Washington over infanticide is rightly shocking to many, but tragically, flows from the abortion industry’s recent advocacy in New York and Virginia. Jeff and Chelsea welcome Alexandra DeSanctis of National Review to the table to discuss the unfolding debate over late-term abortion, the radical policies that give way to infanticide, and how the pro-life community should respond.

Alexandra DeSanctis is a staff writer for National Review. She was previously a William F. Buckley Fellow in Political Journalism with the National Review Institute and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

In the final days of the 115th Congress, a significant and bipartisan federal criminal justice reform bill was signed into law at the White House. The First Step Act, which sought both prison and sentencing reforms, enjoyed overwhelming votes in the Senate and House this past December. Yet the bill’s journey to passage was as unlikely as the coalition of conservatives and liberals who supported it.

Heather Rice-Minus of Prison Fellowship was one of the dedicated advocates whose work ensured that this bill became a law. Heather worked at the center of many of the instrumental negotiations on Capitol Hill and in the White House. Heather joined Steven and Jeff at the Leland House to recount the story of what Van Jones called “a Christmas miracle” for criminal justice reform.

Heather Rice-Minus serves as vice president of government affairs at Prison Fellowship, the nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families. She is a powerful, knowledgeable voice articulating the case for restorative criminal justice solutions. She is also the co-author of Outrageous Justice, a Bible study curriculum and book. A native of Virginia, Rice-Minus resides in Washington, D.C., with her husband and daughter.

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A few years ago, two successful corporate executives teamed up to fight human trafficking. Kevin Malone, the former general manager of the L.A. Dodgers, and Geoff Rogers, a former vice president of IBM, founded the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking. Jeff and Travis spoke with Kevin and Geoff during the 2019 Evangelicals for Life conference about how God called them to this fight and their work to build trafficking free zones in local communities.

Kevin Malone, named “The Best General Manager in the Game” in 1995, retired from professional baseball in 2001 after an illustrious 17 year career in which his teams earned a World Championship and several trips to the postseason. Kevin is the Founder and Executive Director of Protect The P.A.T.H. (People Against Trafficking Humans), and President and Co-Founder of the United States Institute Against Human Trafficking where he currently serves as the director of the board. Malone has been married to his wife Marilyn for 35 years. They relocated to Las Vegas from L.A. in Feb. 2018 to fight child sex slavery. They have two children, Shannon and Shawn.

Geoff Rogers entered the hi-tech corporate world at IBM after graduating summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame. In just 7 years’ time, Geoff rose quickly to the rank of Vice President at IBM while running a North American software division. But as his corporate climb continued, the call of God was drawing him closer to ministry, and as he puts it, each rung on the corporate ladder became more and more hollow. Geoff and his wife Kerri co-founded the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking with Kevin Malone, where Geoff serves as the CEO of the organization, applying his vast business skills to the ministry. Geoff and Kerri have been married for 20 years. They place tremendous value on their family and enjoy spending time with their three amazing boys.

The ERLC hosted it’s Evangelicals for Life conference last week ahead of the annual March for Life. Jeff, Steven, Chelsea, and Lauren gathered around the table back at the Leland House to reflect on the keynotes heard, panel discussions enjoyed, and the constituent advocacy meetings the team hosted on Capitol Hill.

The ERLC publishes a legislative agenda at the beginning of each year to outline the issues and policies we will focus on in our work in Washington, D.C. to serve Southern Baptists and advance the common good. The ERLC policy team, with Lauren Konkol joining the Capitol Conversations roundtable for the first time, talk about our 2019 Legislative Agenda. The team also discusses the new 116th Congress and what to expect in the year ahead.