News Wrap: San Bernardino shootings prompt Congress debate

GWEN IFILL:

The San Bernardino shootings prompted new debate in Congress today on how to stop gun violence. Senate Democrats offered proposals to expand background checks and make it harder for people on terror watch lists to buy weapons. Republicans opposed those amendments and called instead for overhauling the country's mental health system.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The U.S. military will open all of its frontline combat jobs to women, without exception. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the change today, rejecting the Marine Corps request for exemptions. At a Pentagon briefing, Carter said the military needs the broadest pool of talent for the toughest assignments.

ASH CARTER, Secretary Of Defense:

Our force of the future must continue to benefit from the best people America has to offer. To succeed in our mission of national defense we cannot afford to cut ourselves off from half the country's talents and skills. We have to take full advantage of every individual who can meet our standards.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

We'll hear Gwen's interview with Secretary Carter a little later in the program.

GWEN IFILL:

Secretary of State John Kerry says the Islamic State group can be defeated within months, if there's a cease-fire in the Syrian civil war. Kerry made the prediction at a European security conference today.

Meanwhile, Britain launched its first airstrikes overnight, against ISIS targets in Syria, shortly after parliament approved the move. The British are using Cyprus as a base.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Russian and Turkish officials held their first high-level meeting today since Turkey shot down a Russian military jet nine days ago. Afterward, Russia's foreign minister said, quote, "we heard nothing new." At the same time, President Vladimir Putin, again, accused Turkey of buying oil from Islamic State forces in Syria. The Turks called that claim Soviet-style propaganda.

GWEN IFILL:

The corruption crisis engulfing international soccer has widened again in the U.S. and Europe. Swiss authorities arrested two vice presidents from soccer's governing body, FIFA, in pre-dawn raids today at a luxury hotel in Zurich. And in Washington, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced charges against 16 more officials of FIFA's executive committee.

LORETTA LYNCH, Attorney General:

The betrayal of trust that is set forth here is truly outrageous. And the scale of corruption alleged herein is unconscionable and the message from this announcement should be clear: To every culpable individual who remains in the shadows, hoping to evade this ongoing investigation, you will not wait us out, and you will not escape our focus.

GWEN IFILL:

Investigators allege that FIFA leaders have accepted millions of dollars in bribes to influence the selection of sites for World Cup matches.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The double-amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius is likely headed back to prison in South Africa. An appeals court convicted him today of murdering his girlfriend in 2013. A lower court ruled it was manslaughter — a lesser charge — but prosecutors had appealed.

GWEN IFILL:

Another verdict back in this country. A federal jury in West Virginia has convicted a former coal executive of a single misdemeanor, in a 2010 mine explosion that killed 29 men. At the time, Don Blankenship ran Massey Energy, the mine's owner. He was found guilty today of conspiring to violate safety standards, but acquitted of mores serious charges. He plans to appeal.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Congress took action today on highways and health care. The House approved a five-year bill funding highways and mass transit, to the tune of $305 billion. It also includes a separate provision to revive the U.S. export-import bank. In the Senate, Republicans moved a bill to repeal President Obama's Affordable Care Act. He's promised a veto.

GWEN IFILL:

Newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan served notice today that Republicans will offer what he calls a complete alternative to the left's agenda. Ryan spoke today at the Library of Congress, and called for simplifying the tax code and rolling back Obamacare, among other things.

REP. PAUL RYAN, Speaker Of The House:

We want all Americans, when they look at Washington, to see spending going down, taxes going down, debt going down. We want to see progress and we want to have pride. We want people to believe in our future again. We want a country where no one is stuck, where no one settles, where everyone can rise.

GWEN IFILL:

Ryan also said it's time for major revisions in social programs — akin to welfare reform in the 1990s.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The Secret Service is in the spotlight again. A House oversight committee report today calls it an agency in crisis. The year-long investigation found 143 security breaches, or attempted breaches, at facilities guarded by the Secret Service in the last decade. It also said the Secret Service is understaffed and poorly led, and that agents and officers are overworked. Democrats on the committee said deep budget cuts are partly to blame.

GWEN IFILL:

In economic news, the Federal Reserve is on track for its first interest rate hike in nearly a decade later this month. That word today from Fed Chair Janet Yellen. She told Congress that economic conditions seem right for a hike, and the Fed's Open Market Committee must act accordingly.

JANET YELLEN, Chair, Federal Reserve:

Were the FOMC to delay the start of policy normalization for too long, we would likely end up having to tighten policy relatively abruptly. Such an abrupt tightening would risk disrupting financial markets, and perhaps even inadvertently push the economy into a recession.

GWEN IFILL:

Meanwhile, the European Central Bank today cut a key interest rate and extended its stimulus program, but less than financial markets had expected.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

That disappointment with Europe's rate cut sent Wall Street into a selloff. The Dow Jones Industrial average lost more than 250 points to close below 17,480. The NASDAQ fell 85 points, and the S&P 500 dropped nearly 30.