NPR News 2013-03-15 加文本

NPR News 2013-03-15

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Barbara Klein.

The Senate Budget Committee is considering a Democratic plan for the next fiscal year. As NPR's Craig Windham reports it includes $1 trillion in spending cuts and an equal amount of new revenue from closing tax loopholes.

Committee Chair Patty Murray says the Democrats' plan is aimed at bolstering the economy and creating jobs.

That's why our budget uses equal amounts of responsible spending cuts and new revenue from the wealthiest Americans to fully replace the cuts from sequestration.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the plan contrasts sharply with the GOP proposal from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan.

His budget was wrongly defeated last November. I can't imagine why they don't get a new landscape here.

House Speaker John Boehner says congressional Republicans appreciate the president reaching out to them.

But just going to take more than dinner dates and phone calls.

Boehner says Obama needs to move beyond Democratic dogma to find bipartisan solutions. Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.

President Obama is calling on Congress to pass the assault weapons ban, approved earlier today by the Senate Judiciary Committee. But the panel approved the measure strictly along party lines. Republican John Cornyn says it goes too far.

The bill would infringe upon the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families.

The bill sponsor, Democratic Dianne Feinstein disagrees.

No one has presented me with any evidence that a person fares better in self-defense with an assault weapon or a large capacity magazine than with a standard hand gun.

The bill is not expected to survive a full senate vote.

At the Vatican today, Pope Francis led his first mass for cardinals in the Sistine Chapel. Earlier today, the pontiff stopped by a guest house he'd been staying in, to pick up a suitcases and pay his bill. He also went to a Roman basilica dedicated to pray, traveling there on a Vatican car, no limousine, all in keeping with his reputation for frugality and simplicity.

Vice President Joe Biden is getting ready to lead a U.S delegation to the inaugural mass of the pope. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Vice President Biden issued a statement noting the important role the Catholic church plays in his own life and the lives of more than 1 billion people worldwide. Biden says that role extends not just matters of faith, but also the pursuit of peace and human dignity. President Obama added his own good wishes, calling the new pope a champion of the poor and most vulnerable among us. The President invited Republican House John Boehner, who's also Catholic to join the U.S. delegation in Rome. Boehner declines, citing his house duties, but said he's grateful for the invitation and extended his own prayers and regards to Pope Francis. Scott Horsley, NPR News, the White House.

Just before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up more than 0.5%, 84 points and the NASDAQ up 14.

This is NPR.

Honda is recalling more than 180,000 vehicles in the U.S. because of braking problems. The recall involves certain models built between 2004 and 2006, including two Acura models and Honda Pilot. The Japanese carmaker says mis-wired electronics can cause the cars to brake unexpectedly. No crashes have been reported as a result of the defect.

The population of Monarch butterflies is falling to record lows. NPR's Scott Neuman reports some scientists suspect genetically modified crops could be a factor.

The butterflies seen each spring and summer in many parts of the U.S., spend their winters in central Mexico, where they cover vast stretches of forest. But over the last several years, scientists in Mexico have noticed a disturbing trend. The wintering butterflies that used to cover up to 50 square acres on their annual migration, now occupy fewer than acres of forest. Scientists think logging in the Monarch, Mexican habitat, has something to do it. But they also point to the heavy use of genetically modified corn and soil beans in the U.S. midwest. The gene crops are designed to resist herbicides and that's allowed farmers to wipe out milkweed, which is the main food source for Monarches. Scott Neuman, NPR News, Washington.

Another carnival cruise liner is stranded. This time though, it stuck at a port at the Caribbean Island of Saint Martin. The company says it's arranging for thousands of passengers aboard the carnival to be flown home. A generator problem temporarily disabled elevators and toilets last night. This comes a month after another carnival vessel stuck at sea for nearly five days.

I'm Barbara Klein, NPR News, in Washington.