I landed in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon and headed straight to the Cannon House Office Building for a series of meetings. Within minutes, I ran into a representative I had spoken with before. He’s currently navigating a difficult divorce and raising a young child.

We paused for a moment of prayer together. He expressed a sincere desire to spend 30 minutes—or even an hour—talking. Time is an incredibly precious commodity for members of Congress, so we’re working to schedule a meeting when I return to the Hill in two weeks.

The atmosphere on the Hill was intense, with members focused on passing what’s been dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Earlier that morning, President Trump had met with House Republicans in Room HC-5—the same room where, just two weeks ago, we hosted a powerful night of worship with Michael W. Smith.

Committees worked late into the night, hammering out the bill’s final details. Members and staffers were running on little to no sleep, driven by the hope of bringing the legislation to the floor before week’s end. At dinner, I spoke with several House members about the meeting with the President and the bill.

A representative’s wife shared that she had recently accepted a position at the Department of Transportation, working directly with Secretary Duffy. She asked for prayer as she stepped into this new role.

On Wednesday morning my friend, Cary Schmidt, and I set out to deliver notes and visit offices in the Senate buildings. We had the joy of encountering Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma who graciously joined us on the subway ride to the Hart Building. As we traveled together, I took a moment to pray for him—as I often do—asking God to give him wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent. When I finished, the senator smiled and shared that he had just read Psalm 141:3–4, which says:

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.”

It was a moment of encouragement and one of those quiet reminders that God is present in even the smallest details of our day.

Throughout my time on Capitol Hill, I had candid conversations with numerous Republicans. They shared accounts of the meeting with the President. By all accounts, Trump was in rare form—energetic, animated, and persuasive. With humor and charm, he encouraged members to rally behind the bill. The room reportedly filled with laughter as he good-naturedly ribbed those who remained opposed or undecided.

He emphasized preserving Medicaid aside from tackling waste, fraud, and abuse. He also pushed back on supporting the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction—despite pressure from representatives from California, New Jersey, and New York—arguing that these accommodations wouldn’t significantly alter their future election outcomes. Trump suggested that the members blame the state’s governors.

As he spoke for over an hour, Trump insisted he wasn’t rambling but instead doing what he called “the weave.” By all reports, the President was in his element.

Many members emphasized that passing something was critical to avoid severe consequences for the nation. At the same time, concern about the growing deficit loomed large, with one member warning that this legislation could balloon the deficit to $55 trillion.

Meanwhile, Capitol Hill was buzzing with more than just budget debates. Senate and House hearings were in full swing. Cabinet officials, including Kash Patel, Marco Rubio, Lee Zeldin, Kristi Noem, Robert Kennedy Jr., and others, faced intense scrutiny. In nearly every hearing, cabinet members were assertive, often challenging those questioning them rather than being on the defensive.

Walking the halls of the Capitol, I encountered groups supporting Planned Parenthood and others advocating for Palestine. The budget bill included a provision to defund Planned Parenthood, eliminate green energy spending, and the continuation of President Trump’s tax cuts.

On tax policy, some members supported eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security. Others worried this would only deepen the national debt. These debates highlight the reality that there are no easy answers.

To the left is a portion of an email from Tom Emmer, the House Republican Whip, announcing the upcoming voting schedule. Members had been working through the night and waiting for the vote on the Big Beautiful Bill to be taken.

The House voted on the “Big Beautiful Bill” early Thursday morning after another sleepless night. It passed narrowly, 215–214. Ironically, two Republican members who intended to vote for the bill had fallen asleep and missed the vote. Despite the drama, the bill’s passage marks a significant milestone, though the Senate still awaits, and the final battle is far from over.

Across the Capitol, the Senate was burning the midnight oil as well, addressing legislation from California aimed at banning combustion-engine vehicles—an action that could impact 17 other states. The policy battles in both chambers, in committee rooms, and in the courts seem to be reaching a fever pitch.

Despite the tension on the Hill, our worship service in Room 137 on the first floor of the Capitol was fantastic. Once again I had the privilege of leading worship and singing, while Pastor Cary Schmidt from Connecticut delivered a strong message from the book of Romans.

Later that night, I saw on the news that two employees from the Israeli Embassy had been shot and killed. It was a sobering reminder of the groups I had seen earlier in the day calling for “Free, Free Palestine.” These incidents underscore how deeply broken and divided our world is right now.

Our world, our nation, and our government desperately need God’s mercy and peace.

I’ll return to Capitol Hill in two weeks. Thank you for your prayers and your faithful support.

Grace and peace,

Steve