by Justin Lin, policy intern

NEWS:

• Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, expressed interest in running for the open senate seat following the retirement of Sen. Carl Levin. Camp is the House’s strongest fundraiser and many believe that he would turn the Democratic-leaning Michigan into a possible win. However, Camp has to consider a variety of factors, such as the fact former Michigan Secretary of State Teri Lynn Land is also running for the Republican nomination. (Roll Call)
• Two documents detailing the activities on the NSA were released Wednesday: one by the Obama administration acknowledging that the United States tracks all domestic phone calls and another leaked document that shows how the NSA monitors web browsing. The monitoring program, called XKeyscore, is generally used for information mining abroad and has reportedly led to the capture of more than 300 terrorists. (New York Times)
• West Virginia state senator Evan Jenkins has announced that he will change his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican and will challenge Rep. Nick Rahall, who has served in the House for 40 years. The district voted 65% for Romney in 2012 but currently the district is reported as “Likely Democratic,” according to the Cook Political Report. (Washington Post)
• Over 100 pro-immigration groups are now targeting House GOP to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Many of these groups are formed at the grassroots level, with the intention to show that ordinary citizens and the general public want immigration reform to pass. However, these groups will be facing some opposition from groups such as NumbersUSA and Federation for American Immigration Reform that do not support the Senate immigration bill. (Politico)
• Alison Lundergan Grimes, the secretary of state for Kentucky, has begun her campaign for the Senate seat with a bang at her campaign rally. Grimes attacked McConnell but tried to distance herself from President Obama, pointing out differences on coal, balancing budgets, and the Affordable Care Act. Grimes is set to deliver another speech Saturday in Graves County. (Politico)

TODAY: