NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-20-2025 1PM EDT

Episode Date: May 20, 2025

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Is America sliding towards authoritarianism? Hundreds of academics say yes. It is certainly reversible, but we are no longer living in a liberal democracy. Where is American democracy heading? Listen now to the Sunday story on the Up First podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Laxmi Singh. President Trump is attempting to use his power of persuasion to get House Republicans to push through a bill that contains the bulk of his legislative agenda, the priorities,

including boosts for border security and tax cuts. It's the biggest tax cut in American history. And if it doesn't pass, everybody's gonna get a 68% tax increase. Critics refute the 68% claim though. Meanwhile, the GOP has been split among three main groups. Hardline fiscal hawks are demanding deficit reduction. Moderates wanna protect access to Medicaid.

Blue state Republicans want to raise the cap on the deduction for state and local taxes. Democrats are united against the bill. The Department of Homeland Security has conducted its first voluntary removal charter flight from Texas to Honduras and Colombia. NPR's Jimena Bustia reports these self-deportation flights are a part of the administration's push to get migrants who are in the U.S. illegally to leave. DHS said 64 people who opted to quote self-deport back to their home countries were on the flight. The department called it a voluntary charter flight. They say that's different from a flight

immigration and customs enforcement would use for deportations. Each person also received a $1,000 stipend and quote, preserved the possibility that they could one day return to the US. The administration has launched a multimillion dollar ad campaign encouraging immigrants without legal status to leave or face arrest and detention. But immigration advocates say questions remain over how many people may trust this program. And lawyers for immigrants argue that it could discourage people who may have legitimate asylum claims from pursuing legal options to stave off deportation. Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington. The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans that could limit access to COVID-19 vaccines. NPR's Rob Stein has details.

The FDA says that it plans to impose new requirements on COVID vaccines to focus on immunizing people at highest risk for serious complications from COVID. That would include people who are age 65 and older and younger people with other health problems. For children and younger healthy adults, the FDA wants vaccine companies to conduct additional research to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines. The FDA says the moves are necessary to restore trust in the vaccines. Critics say the moves are unnecessary because the vaccines are very safe and effective and they would limit the ability of younger healthy people to get vaccinated.

Rob Stein in Pure News. US stocks are trading lower this hour. The Dow Jones Industrial Average down 88 points at 42,703. The S&P is down 14 points. The NASDAQ is off 37. From Washington, this is NPR News. All the tush push is on the agenda in Minneapolis where NFL owners are holding a two-day meeting. And Piers Giles-Snyder has his preview. NFL owners are expected to vote on a few rule changes when they get together at the headquarters

of the Minnesota Vikings, including that proposed ban on the play known as the tush push. It's a variation on the quarterback sneak in which players line up behind the quarterback in order to help muscle him forward in short yardage situations. The play is also known as the brotherly shove after the Philadelphia Eagles began using it successfully in recent years and helped them win this year's Super Bowl. The Green Bay Packers submitted the proposal to ban the play, citing in part player safety. NFL owners tabled the proposal last month banning the play would require 24 of the league's 32 teams to vote in favor of the change. Shia Larson, NPR News.

The winner of this year's International Booker Prize will be announced today as its webpage describes it. The world's most influential award for translated fiction features six authors whose works range from quote, two perfect interiors of a Berlin apartment to a terrifying journey across the English channel from patriarchal communities in Southern India to a futuristic world at the limits of our

imagination. This prize is awarded each year to a single book translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. US stocks lower, NASDAQ's down 33, S&P's off 13, the Dow's fallen 84 points. This is NPR. Look, we get it. When it comes to new music, there is a lot of it, and it all comes really Colin 84 points. This is NPR.