• Senate bill would legalize almost 20M immigrants over the next decade; estimates predict the guest-worker program could cost over $50B. [WP]
• Bush is “seeking to reconnect with conservative Republicans”; will renew call for a ban on gay marriage. [USAT]
• Justice Department wants Internet firms to save user data; “executives from companies that attended the meeting [with officials] said they gathered that the department was interested in records that would allow them to identify which individuals visited certain Web sites and possibly conducted searches using certain terms. It also wants the Internet companies to retain records about whom their users exchange e-mail with, but not the contents of e-mail messages.” [NYT]
• Bush blames “unscrupulous” companies for their role in the immigration crisis: “Businesses that knowingly employ illegal workers undermine this law and undermine the spirit of America.” [WP, NYT]
• Congressional leaders and the Justice Department may have both “overreached” in FBI raid scandal. [NYT]
• Iraq provides a delicate issue for ‘08 campaigns; voting records separate senators from governors. [NYT]
• Sen. Harry Reid changes tune, says taking boxing tickets was an ethical mistake. [NYT]

• Reliable Source: Cher makes another call to C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” — at 4:20 her time — to advocate safety upgrades for troops in Iraq. [WP]

• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Kelsey Grammer may seek office: “I think the problem in government is that everything is measured. Politics is a game of equivocation, but there can be no half-measures in dealing with the difficulties we face abroad… I believe that George Bush has taken a valiant stance in a dangerous time for this country.” [NYDN]

• FEC decides to permit 527s to continue as is, meaning “even larger sums to be spent influencing races this year and in 2008.” [WP, NYT]
• Bush essentially had no choice but to join talks on Iran. [NYT, WP, W$J]
• Bush says he’s “troubled” by news of civilian killings in Haditha, Iraq: “If, in fact, the laws were broken, there will be punishment.” [NYT]
• Homeland Security Department cuts funding for Washington and New York while boosting support for mid-size cities. [WP, NYT]
• Sen. Hillary Clinton launches Senate campaign with broad swipes at the administration: “I believe that we need a fundamentally new direction. . . We are better than what is happening in America today.” [NYT]

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• Under the Dome: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is named the “hottest woman in U.S. politics” by Politics1.com. . . Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and David Vitter (R-La.) plug New Orleans during “The Price is Right”. . . Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) wants to cut tariffs on duties on “padded potty seats,” “traveler padded-potty seats,” and “contoured padded-infant potty seats.” [The Hill]

• Reliable Source: Bushes invite relatives of those who died on Flight 93 to White House screening of “United 93.” [WP]
• Rush & Molloy: Condoleezza Rice rooted for “American Idol” Taylor Hicks. [NYDN]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Jon Voight supports the war on terrorism: “This is a hideous, cunning, clever enemy who lives off a program of murderous thoughts.” [NYDN]

• Bush nominates Henry Paulson, chairman of Goldman Sachs Group, to replace John Snow at the Treasury Department; White House sought Paulson for months. [WP, W$J, USAT, LAT]
• White House acknowledges that Bush withheld the news at his press conference last week; Paulson’s net worth is estimated to be more than $700M. [NYT, NYT]
• Paulson is described as “the kind of guy who thrives in a crisis” and “a committed environmentalist and bird watcher.” [WP, NYT, LAT]
• Justice Department claims Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) tried to hide documents from the FBI. [WP, LAT]
• Former chief of staff to Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) testifies that Abramoff “identified his ‘champions’ in government and then showered them with favors to get inside information and help for his clients.” [WP, NYT]
• Democrats are slow to provide a specific party platform; “this cautious strategy is generating intensifying debate within the party.” [LAT]

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• Heard on the Hill: Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) defends his manicures. . . Clintons had a late dinner at Cafe Milano last Thursday. [Roll Call]

• Cindy Adams: Expect “another 11″ indictments. [NYP]
• Inside the Beltway: Air Force One costs about $60,000 per hour to operate. [WT]

• Bush marks Memorial Day with vow to finish the wars to honor those who lost their lives: “I am in awe of the men and women who sacrifice for the freedom of the United States of America.” [NYT, WT]
• “Missing pieces” about Sen. Hillary Clinton: “What does she stand for? And where would she try to take the country if elected?” She says her philosophy “doesn’t perhaps fit in a preexisting box, but many of the problems we face as a nation don’t either.” [WP]
• Sen. Reid (D-Nev.) accepted free ringside boxing tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission “as he was pressing legislation to increase government oversight of the sport.” Reid: “I’m not Goodie Two Shoes. I just feel these events are nothing I did wrong.” [WP]
• Both sides motivated by prospects for “Speaker Pelosi.” Republican strategist: “She ought to be a big component of the fall campaign. There are some Democrats who make really good bad guys.” [NYT]
• Trial of David Safavian will increase attention on Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) because of the testimony of his former chief of staff. [NYT]
• Security concerns linger for electronic voting machines. [WP]

(For our extensive coverage of the gunfire reports at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, just scroll down the page.) MORE »

• Bush, “in an unusual admission,” says he regrets using the phrases “bring it on” and “dead or alive”; joint press conference with Blair has “contrite tone” because “both leaders have reached the lowest point of their careers.” [WP, WP, NYT, NYT]
• Bush orders documents seized in raid of Rep. William Jefferson’s office to be sealed for 45 days. [WP, NYT, W$J, LAT, USAT]
• Senate approves immigration legislation by vote of 62 to 36 but the next steps are “enormously difficult.” [WP, NYT, W$J, LAT, USAT]
• John Snow has told the White House he is resigning; Don Evans and Carlos Gutierrez are among those mentioned as replacements. [WP, NYT, W$J]
• Military investigation reportedly concludes that a group of marines “carried out extensive, unprovoked killings of civilians” in Iraq. [NYT]
• ABC News stands by its story about Speaker Hastert. Reporter Brian Ross: “There may be a semantics issue here as to what constitutes being under investigation.” [WP]

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• Reliable Source: Man in bathrobe “bludgeoned” the stereo of the Snap tea house in Georgetown. . . Barbara Bush spotted on date with someone with “preppy-poufy dark hair,” who paid. [WP]

• Inside the Beltway: Tony Snow will reportedly play in his band, in Bethesda, on June 3rd. [WT]
• Inside Politics: Al Gore harnesses MySpace for “An Inconvenient Truth.” [WT]
• Under the Dome: Six-part documentary about Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) will air this summer on Sundance. . . Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) draws 500 supporters to Grateful Dead fundraiser. [The Hill]
• Heard on the Hill: Hillary Clinton wants to introduce her husband’s gala address at the Sons of Italy awards. . . UPS and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce buy townhouses “within spitting distance” of the Democratic Party HQ. [Roll Call]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Graydon Carter proposes an unlike Gore-Clinton ticket. [NYDN]

• Senate vote on immigration legislation is set for today; Karl Rove “got a cold reception” from Republican lawmakers. [WP, NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Legal analysts say FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s congressional office was probably legal; Reps. Hastert and Pelosi demand seized documents be returned. [WP, WP, NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Cheney wanted to “get all the facts out,” according to Lewis Libby’s testimony; new filing indicates the vice president may be called to testify. [WP, NYT, LAT]
• Speaker Hastert is “in the mix” of the FBI’s investigation of congressional corruption, ABC News maintains despite denials from the Hill and the Justice Department. [ABC News]
• Database of immigrants will need more than $1B in upgrades; labor, big business, and civil-liberties advocates oppose the plan. [WP]
• Prosecutor says David Safavian, former procurement official, repeatedly “lied, concealed and misled” investigators about his dealings with Jack Abramoff. [WP, NYT]
• Loss of unity among Republicans is fueled by worries about the election. [W$J]
• Fiscal conservatives take on Republican leadership in attempt to reduce earmarks and pet projects. [NYT]

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