A Hanford dairy farmer with a burgeoning political career.

DISSIDENT CHEN CAN APPLY TO STUDY ABROAD ? The New York Times' Michael Wines reports this morning from Beijing: CHEN CALLS CONGRESS ? Seung Min Kim reports for the hometown paper: "In a dramatic moment, Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese dissident whose circumstances are growing into a diplomatic dilemma for the Obama administration, called into a congressional hearing to talk about his situation. Lawmakers on Thursday had called an emergency hearing into Chen's ordeal. The two-hour hearing was abruptly interrupted as Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) announced that he had made telephone contact with Chen, and Chen ? talking on speakerphone ? spoke in Chinese from his hospital room in Beijing. In his roughly eight-minute phone call, Chen made a public appeal to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, adding that he also wants to 'thank her face-to-face.' 'He wants to come to the U.S. for some time of rest,' activist Bob Fu, who translated Chen's remarks for the hearing room, said. 'He has not had any rest in the past ten years already.' Chen also said he was concerned about the safety of his mother and brother, Fu said. --

FOUR TAKEAWAYS, FOUR TIDBITS ? We set Kevin loose Wednesday with an advance copy of Manuel Roig-Franzia's new biography, "The Rise of Marco Rubio," due out June 19.

WASHINGTON After many fits and starts, there is finally a glimmer of hope that Congress might actually pass a multi-year federal highway and mass transit bill this year.