I traveled to Washington, D.C., on Monday to sing for an evening event. The next morning, I had the privilege of hearing several speakers, including Secretary of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and others.
It was inspiring to hear directly from these leaders. The camaraderie among the President’s cabinet members—and their determination to follow his leadership—was unmistakable.
On Tuesday afternoon, I made my way to Capitol Hill, delivering handwritten letters to more than 200 members of Congress. Walking the halls, I noticed tributes to my friend Charlie Kirk, including a spray of flowers outside Speaker Johnson’s office. A formal memorial had been held the night before in Statuary Hall.
I also crossed paths with a friend from the White House’s legislative affairs team. He was meeting with members of Congress and shared his own grief over Charlie’s assassination. He told me that in a recent meeting of House Chiefs of Staff, leaders were urged to be mindful of their young staffers, many of whom have been deeply shaken by Charlie’s death.
That evening, I returned to the same gathering where I had sung the night before. Once again, I was honored to sing, and afterward I listened to remarks from several House members, including Representative Jim Jordan and Speaker Mike Johnson.
In my conversations with staffers, I was encouraged. One young Senate aide told me he would soon be leaving on a mission trip to Bangladesh with his church. It is uplifting to see young people on Capitol Hill committed to their faith and seeking to live it out in government.
The hot topics on the Hill included Charlie Kirk’s death, the looming threat of a government shutdown, confirmation of administration appointees, high-profile hearings with FBI Director Kash Patel, and ongoing debates about healthcare and vaccines.
In one representative’s office, while sharing about Charlie’s death and my invitation to sing at his memorial, something unexpected happened. The Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff both rose from their desks, took my hands, and prayed for me. Usually, I’m the one doing the praying. It was a deeply moving moment.
In another office, I overheard a young staffer handling a difficult phone call. She firmly told the caller, “Sir, if you continue to use profanity, I will have to hang up.” After repeating herself twice more, she ended the call. Encounters like that are routine on the Hill, where young aides often absorb the frustration—and sometimes abuse—of constituents, even from outside their districts.
On Wednesday evening, I helped lead worship as Pastor David Butler preached a powerful message.
Next week, members of the House and Senate are scheduled to return to their districts, though there is speculation that the Senate may remain in session if a funding bill comes over from the House.
Just this morning (Friday) the House passed a "clean" continuing resolution bill to fund the government. It will now be considered in the Senate. Speaker Johnson is putting the onus of a government shutdown on Leader Schumer.
The House also adopted a resolution "Honoring the Life and Legacy of Charles 'Charlie' Kirk and condemning political violence. The vote was 310-58 with 95 Democrats supporting the resolution. Thirty-eight Democrats voted "present," and 58 voted "no." Twenty Democrats did not vote.
It was a politically tough vote for some Democrats who do not want to celebrate Charlie Kirk, but also condemn the shooting and don't want to be seen sympathizing with political violence.
This weekend, I will travel to Phoenix to participate in the Charlie Kirk Memorial, which will be held Sunday morning at State Farm Stadium. I've been told that the service will be streamed online and that it will be televised on the Fox News Channel.
In just a few weeks, I’ll return to Washington to continue advancing The Word on the Hill strategy to provide worship in the Capitol and words of encouragement to those who work on Capitol Hill. Thank you for your prayer and support.
Blessings,
Steve