NPR News: 05-19-2025 7AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: Detailed Summary of May 19, 2025 Episode

Release Date: May 19, 2025
Host: Korva Coleman
Podcast: NPR News Now

1. House Budget Committee Advances Multi-Trillion Dollar Spending Package

In a significant development, the House Budget Committee voted late last night to advance a multi-trillion dollar spending package. This move comes after intense negotiations with fiscal conservatives who had previously blocked the bill.

• Key Developments:
  • A small faction of Republican lawmakers initially opposed the package, leading to a weekend of discussions with House leadership.
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted that one of the negotiation points involved "accelerating work requirements for Medicaid" (00:31).
  • The original holdouts ultimately chose to "vote present" during a redo committee vote late Sunday night, allowing the bill to proceed.
  • Despite this advancement, multiple groups within the conference remain "not yet satisfied", indicating that negotiations are ongoing.
  • Johnson remains optimistic, stating the bill is "still on track to pass by Memorial Day" (00:31).

Barbara Sprunt, reporting from the Capitol, emphasized the delicate balance House leadership is striving to maintain to ensure the bill's passage.

2. Former President Joe Biden Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

In health-related news, former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

• Details:
  • Biden's office announced that the cancer "has spread to the bone", yet it is "hormone sensitive", offering "options for effective management" (01:09).
  • The diagnosis came after Biden developed symptoms that prompted medical evaluation.

3. Severe Storms and Tornadoes Devastate Central United States

The central U.S. has been hit hard by severe storms and tornadoes over the past few days, resulting in at least 28 fatalities.

• Impact:
  • St. Louis experienced the loss of five lives.
  • Kentucky faced the highest toll with 19 deaths reported.

Karen Zarr from London, Kentucky, provided a poignant account of the devastation:

• Personal Story:
  • Amanda Radford shared her harrowing experience: "They were in the bed. So we did not, did not get to keep them. They were gone." (02:06)
  • The tornado obliterated the home of Richard and Wanda McFall, tossing their SUV into the air and destroying their bedroom.

Despite efforts by Bradford, her children, friends, and volunteers to salvage anything from the wreckage, Amanda Radford confirmed, "it was all gone" (02:14).

4. Louisiana Authorities Hunt for Escaped Prisoners

In a separate incident, Louisiana authorities are intensifying their search for seven prisoners who escaped from a New Orleans jail last Friday.

• Current Status:
  • Three of the escapees have already been recaptured.
  • The Louisiana State Police suspect that the fugitives are receiving assistance from external sources.

Colonel Robert Hodges, Louisiana State Police Superintendent, issued a stern warning:

• Warning Statement:
  • "If you are helping and assisting these fugitives, allowing them to remain uncaptured and not brought to justice, there will be consequences and there may be charges for you," Hodges stated (02:54).

Authorities have increased the reward for capturing each inmate to $20,000 (03:06).

5. International Relations: Trump’s Diplomatic Efforts and UK-EU Summit

President Trump is set to engage in multiple high-level phone calls today aimed at addressing international conflicts and strengthening alliances.

• Scheduled Calls:
  • Vladimir Putin, Russian President
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President

Trump aims to "push toward an end to Russia's war in Ukraine" during these discussions (03:06).

Additionally, the UK and the European Union are convening their first official summit since Brexit, marking five years of evolving relations influenced by the Ukraine war and previous Trump-era policies.

Lauren Frayer from London reports on the summit’s key points:

• Highlights of the Summit:
  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a Brexit opponent, describes the meeting as a "reset of British relations with the EU".
  • The summit includes an agreement to "extend European fishing rights in UK waters".
  • It does not cover freedom of mobility, which would allow EU citizens to live and work freely in Britain.
  • Negotiations are underway for a limited youth mobility scheme, enabling British students and young adults to take short-term jobs in Europe and vice versa.
  • Collaboration extends to continental security and defense, with commitments to boost defense spending and bolster aid and weapons shipments to Ukraine (03:56).

6. Austria Triumphs at Eurovision Song Contest

In a lighter vein, Austria emerged victorious in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

• Details:
  • Austrian contestant JJ secured the top prize, outperforming 25 other competitors.
  • Eurovision, known for catapulting artists like ABBA to international stardom, continues to showcase diverse musical talent across Europe (04:39).

Conclusion

This episode of NPR News Now encapsulates pivotal political developments in the U.S. legislature, significant health news concerning a former president, devastating weather events affecting the central U.S., law enforcement efforts in Louisiana, and notable international diplomatic activities. Additionally, the cultural highlight of Austria's Eurovision victory provides a glimpse into the vibrant European music scene.

For comprehensive updates and ongoing coverage, listeners are encouraged to stay tuned to NPR.

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Note: Timestamps in brackets refer to the position in the podcast transcript where the information was discussed.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. In a late vote last night, the House Budget Committee voted to advance a multi trillion dollar spending package. NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports that last Friday, a small group of Republican lawmakers voted to block the mammoth pack.

[Barbara Sprunt]

House leadership spent the weekend in discussions with fiscal conservatives who voted against advancing the bill out of committee. House Speaker Mike Johnson said one area of negotiation is accelerating work requirements for Medicaid. Hardliners were concerned the requirements wouldn't kick in soon enough. The original holdouts ended up voting present at essentially a do over committee vote late Sunday night, which allows the bill to move forward. But negotiations aren't over yet. There are multiple groups within the conference who say they aren't yet satisfied yet. Johnson said says they are still on track to pass the bill by Memorial Day. Barbara Sprunt, NPR News, the Capitol.

[Korva Coleman]

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. According to his office, the cancer has spread to the bone. Biden's office says he was checked after developing symptoms, and it says the cancer appears to be hormone sensitive. This means that there are options for effective management. At least 28 people died in severe storms and tornadoes that ripped through the central U.S. over the past few days. Five people died in St. Louis. In neighboring Kentucky, tornadoes killed at least 19 people. From member station WKY, Karen Zarr reports from London, Kentucky, where she spoke with storm survivors who lost loved ones.

[Karen Zarr]

Amanda Radford stood on a driveway staring at a cement foundation where her parents home once stood. Richard and Wanda McFall were asleep when a tornado cut through their neighborhood. It tore their house apart, tossing their SUV out of the garage into the air.

[Amanda Radford]

It landed on their bedroom. They were in the bed. So we did not, did not get to keep them. They were gone.

[Karen Zarr]

Bradford, her children, friends and a host of volunteers spent Sunday searching for anything that could be saved. But she said it was all gone. For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in London.

[Korva Coleman]

The National Weather Service is warning there are more risks today for severe storms in the central and southern U.S. plains. Authorities in Louisiana are still looking for seven prisoners who broke out of a New Orleans jail last Friday. Another three have already been recaptured. Officials think the escaped inmates are getting help from people on the outside. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges is warning against this.

[Colonel Robert Hodges]

If you are helping and assisting these fugitives, allowing them to remain uncaptured and not brought to justice, there will be consequences and there may be charges for you.

[Korva Coleman]

Authorities have upped the reward for the prisoner's capture to $20,000 per inmate. You're listening to NPR. President Trump is expected to speak by phone today with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He's also expected to hold separate calls with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and with Nat. Trump says he wants to push toward an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Yesterday, the Ukrainian president met with Vice President J.D. vance in Rome. They were there to attend Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass. Today, Britain and the European Union are holding their first official summit since Brexit. It's been five years since Britain left the eu, but the Ukraine war and the Trump administration have brought them closer since then. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from London.

[Lauren Frayer]

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who voted against Brexit in the 2016 referendum, calls this summit a reset of British relations with the eu. It includes a deal to extend European fishing rights in UK Waters. It does not include freedom of mobility, the idea that EU citizens can live and work freely in Britain. But officials are working out details of a limited youth mobility scheme under which British students and 20 somethings may be able to work short term jobs in Europe and vice versa. The UK And EU are also working together on the continent's security and defense, boosting defense spending and bolstering aid and weapons shipments to Ukraine. Lauren Freyr, NPR News, London.

[Korva Coleman]

And in case you missed it, Austria won this year's Eurovision song Contest. The Austrian contestant JJ beat out 25 other competitors for the top prize. Eurovision has launched other groups like ABBA to stardom. This is npr.

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