The Early Word: Signals

In Today’s Times:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s decision in 2011 to close an investigation of the older of two brothers accused of carrying out the Boston bombings has cast an unflattering shadow over the legacy of Robert S. Mueller III at the agency as he prepares to step down as director. Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Michael S. Schmidt write that “instead of coasting into retirement, Mr. Mueller will spend the final months answering tough questions about how the bombing suspects slipped away.”

Testifying Thursday at a Congressional hearing on the bombings, the Boston police commissioner said the F.B.I. did not tell him about its investigation of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, although the agency said Boston police officers were involved in the inquiry, Scott Shane and Mr. Schmidt report.

House Republicans are focused on one word in their call for the White House to release an e-mail that raised the possibility that Islamic extremists might have been involved in the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi. Mark Landler writes that the move signals that “Republican leaders intend to continue portraying the attack as a major failure of the administration as well as a potentially effective issue against former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton if she runs for president in 2016.”

In preparation for a likely standoff over the debt ceiling in the fall, House Republicans have approved a bill that would allow the Treasury Department to prioritize payments to its creditors in the event that its borrowing limit is reached, Jonathan Weisman writes.

As senators began plowing through more than 300 amendments offered Thursday for immigration overhaul legislation, lawmakers hoped that approving some measures offered by Republicans â€" but rejecting proposals that would undermine the legislation â€" would encourage more G.O.P. members to support the bill, Ashley Parker writes.

A day after delaying a panel vote on President Obama’s nominee to lead the Department of Labor, Republicans on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee blocked a committee vote on the nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, infuriating Democrats who accused their G.O.P. colleagues of engaging in a pattern of obstructionism, John M. Broder writes. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, vowed that the Senate would vote on the nominations, although it was unclear whether Democrats had enough votes to confirm the nominees.

Happening in Washington:
Economic reports expected Friday include the federal budget for April from the Treasury Department at 2 p.m.

President Obama will “deliver a statement on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the health, lives and pocketbooks of women and their families” at 2:40 p.m. in the East Room, according to the White House.

During a meeting on Friday, the board of governors of the Postal Service will hold an open session at 8:30 a.m.

At 9 a.m., the United States Chamber of Commerce and its foundation will hold a quarterly economic briefing.

At 1:30 p.m., Secretary of State John Kerry will participate in an online video discussion titled “The U.S. in the World: What’s in It for Us?” The conversation, to be held through a Google+ Hangout, will be moderated by Andrea Mitchell of NBC News.