Republican Congressman Todd Young helped draft Rep. Paul Ryan's 2013 budget that passed in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Congressman Young speaks with guest host Jacki Lyden about the budget plan and Democrats' opposition to it, including calls that the plan would hurt programs like food stamps and Medicaid.

Guest host Jacki Lyden continues the conversation about the passage of Congressman Paul Ryan's budget plan in the House of Representatives. Lyden speaks with NPR Washington Editor S.V. Date about what the vote means and whether the plan's passage may signal long budget battles ahead.

Guest host Jacki Lyden and Editor Ammad Omar take a look at listener feedback and updates on stories covered on the program. One listener said he was angered by a conversation on rhododendrons, so they go to two of the nation's top experts for answers. Also, African leaders turn up the pressure on military officers who have staged a coup in Mali.

Transcript

JACKI LYDEN, HOST:

I'm Jacki Lyden and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Michel Martin is away today. Now it's time for our weekly visit to the Barber Shop, where the guys talk about what's in the news and what's on their minds.

And sitting in the chairs for a shape-up this week are freelance journalist Jimi Izrael. He joins us from Cleveland. Hello, Jimi.

JIMI IZRAEL: Hey, Jacki. How you doing?

Recent reports highlight GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum's connections with the Catholic group Opus Dei. Critics say the group has an extreme agenda, others say it simply has a strong mission. Guest host Jacki Lyden takes a look at the group's influence on American political culture with John Allen, author of the 2005 book Opus Dei.

Rick Santorum's ties to the Catholic group Opus Dei have been recently highlighted in news reports. Guest host Jacki Lyden continues the conversation about Opus Dei with long-time member, John Coverdale. They discuss the role of religion in politics and address claims that the group promotes a conservative political agenda.

The FBI's top cyber cop retires today after nearly a quarter century in federal law enforcement.

Shawn Henry started looking into computer issues in the run up to Y2K (the arrival of the year 2000). He says that experience left him hungry to learn more about the way electronics were changing the way we live — and the way criminals operate.The movement of so much sensitive information online poses an "existential threat," according to Henry.

In Wisconsin, "state elections officials ordered a set of historic recall elections Friday, making [Republican] Scott Walker the third governor in the nation to face a recall and Rebecca Kleefisch [R] the first lieutenant governor to face one," Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel reports.

UPDATE 4:23 p.m.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has denied a call to ban the plastic additive BPA from food packaging. The action comes after government scientists found little reason to think people are being harmed by the chemical.

The FDA was responding to a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council, which called for the ban on BPA, also known as bisphenol A, from any use where it comes in contact with food.