Today’s Times
- A thwarted plot to carry out backpack bombings in New York City’s subway system is the kind of success that President Obama seemed to be referring to when he defended the National Security Agency’s stockpiling of the public’s telephone call logs and accessing of e-mail from Microsoft, Google, Yahoo and other companies, Eric Schmitt, David E. Sanger and Charlie Savage report.
- While Mr. Obama was trying to reassure Americans that he had not abused government authority by mining telephone and e-mail data, another disclosure was made hours later about secret contingency plans to target other countries for possible cyber attacks, Peter Baker and David E. Sanger write. The revelations made his get-together with President Xi Jinping of China later in the day all the more awkward, because cyber attacks by the Chinese are high on the American agenda.
Weekly Addresses
- President Obama avoided any talk of the newly revealed surveillance programs in his weekly address, choosing instead to focus on the immigration legislation that will soon be debated in the Senate. “Our out-of-date immigration system has actually harmed our economy and threatened our security,†he said. “But if we’re going to truly fix a broken system, we need Congress to act in a comprehensive way. And that’s why what’s happening next week is so important.†Though he acknowledged that it would not be perfect, the legislation would provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people, in addition to improving security and attracting highly skilled workers who lawmakers expect to help strengthen the economy. “In the end, that’s what this is all about. Men and women who want nothing more than the chance to earn their way into the American story, just like so many of our ancestors did,†he said. “And it’s howwe’ll make sure that America’s best days always lie ahead.â€
- Representative Luke Messer of Indiana delivered the Republican address this week, focusing on the student loan interest rate that is scheduled to double on July 1. “No one wants this to happen, especially in a job market where millions of recent grads are having a hard time finding full-time work,†he said. He chided the president for denouncing the Republican plan to address the coming increase, saying that it was “yet another example of the arrogance of power that has taken root†in the White House. “Student loan relief is just one example of the solutions Republicans have put forward to get our economy back on track and give our next generation their opportunity to live the American dream,†he said. “Working together, we can.â€
Happenings in Washington
- The 38th annual Capital Pride Parade will march through the District on Saturday and is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators.
