Planning a flight this weekend? Good luck!

At various times, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has held up flights around D.C. at both Reagan Washington National and Baltimore-Washington.

Thousands of flights along the East Coast were delayed or canceled Tuesday.

What’s happening: Travel has been rebounding steadily since bottoming out during the coronavirus pandemic. The number of people flying topped 2.4 million on Tuesday — up 11 percent from the same day last year, according to Transportation Security Administration figures.

Travel is expected to peak on Thursday with more than 52,500 total flights, likely the biggest travel day of the holiday period.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• 900+: Flights already delayed across the country this morning
• 670+: Flight cancelations already this morning
• 6,500: Flight delays Tuesday
• 1,900: Flight cancelations Tuesday
• 52,500+: Flights scheduled Thursday — the expected peak travel day for the holiday weekend

THE BLAME GAME: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes the FAA, has blamed airlines for recent disruptions over the past year and called for more oversight. The airlines, meanwhile, have pointed the finger at the FAA for air traffic control shortages.

More from The Associated Press here via The Hill.

It’s Wednesday, June 28. I’m Elizabeth Crisp, filling in for Cate, with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. Send me your tips: ecrisp@digital-stage.thehill.com and follow me on Twitter @elizabethcrisp.

🐘 In Congress

McCarthy has a problem: Conservative pushback:

Six months into his dream job, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is increasingly facing pressure to acquiesce to demands from far-right members of his GOP conference.

His surprise threat to call up articles of impeachment against Attorney General Merrick Garland is just the latest signal.

How things got here: McCarthy has largely been able to keep his conservative detractors at bay since he secured the gavel in a grueling 15 rounds of voting at the start of the term. But it came with certain deals and concessions to get conservative hard-liners on board.

Looking ahead: Some Republicans now are threatening the possibility of a government shutdown if they don’t get their way — namely impeachment votes that GOP leaders have tried to avoid and deep budget cuts that are unlikely to pass muster in the Democratic-controlled Senate or with President Biden.

Money quote: “I am maybe not on his Christmas card list.” — Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), the former head of the far-right Freedom Caucus who has been a frequent McCarthy detractor.

The Hill’s Mike Lillis has more here.

📈 In the White House

‘Bidenomics?’ Economic optimism on the rise, Gallup finds:

As President Biden sets out to promote “Bidenomics,” more Americans are feeling better about the economy, a new Gallup poll has found.

Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index, which ranges from -100 to 100, placed June’s score at -32 — the highest since January 2022. The confidence rating has not reached above 0 during the coronavirus pandemic.

The White House, anticipating positive economic news, is leaning into its latest buzzword: “Bidenomics,” and the president is in Chicago today to tout his economic policies.

Confidence figures bottomed out last year as inflation skyrocketed and recession fears spread.

In Gallup’s latest findings, Republicans, as can be expected, rated their confidence in the nation’s economy lower than Democrats. But both groups still saw upticks. Democrats rated the economy at plus 5 rating while Republicans gave it a -65 rating. (The Hill)

🏃 2024

Christie calls Trump ‘the cheapest S.O.B I’ve ever met’:

Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie doesn’t often mince words when talking about former President Trump. This time, he’s calling out his GOP rival for reportedly directing campaign donations to a legal fund.

“(Trump is) the cheapest S.O.B. I’ve ever met in my life,” the former New Jersey governor said of the former president in a recent Politico interview. “What Donald Trump is good at is spending other people’s money.”

Christie, in running against one-time ally Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, has staked out a role in the crowded Republican field as a chief critic of the former president. (The Hill)

GOP candidates cool to RNC pledge demand:

Some Republican presidential hopefuls are not happy about the party’s decision to require that they pledge support for the GOP’s eventual nominee if they want to qualify for the first debate.

The Republican National Committee unveiled the edict earlier this month. It’s among several requirements laid out for candidates to take the debate stage in August.

“It’s the Republican Party nomination, and the pledge is staying,” RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said last week.

The Hill’s Caroline Vakil has more details here and a breakdown of what candidates have said so far.

👵 In other news

Americans are old, and we’re only getting older:

Feeling old? It’s not just you. (And me.)

Americans are older than ever. New Census figures show the nation’s median age has hit 38.9.

Unfortunately, it’s not because of longer life expectancy; it’s due to a drop in the birthrate, The Hill’s Daniel de Visé writes.

Median age is the midpoint in the nation’s population. It has been on the rise for decades. In 1920, it was just 25.

Key quote: “Birthrates are about women’s lives, about gender equality … When you have a society set up such that women find a conflict between caretaking and working for pay, then you have low birthrates.” — Barbara Risman, distinguished professor of sociology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Read more from de Visé about what’s behind this trend.

🐥 Notable tweets

Shut it down: Climate activists protest Schumer fundraiser speech:

The youth-led Climate Defiance group took over a 2024 Senate campaign fundraiser, disrupting a speech from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) at The Harvard Club in NYC Tuesday morning. (Tweet with video here)

Cable news viewership continues to tumble:

The Washington Post’s Paul Farhi tweeted about “the great cable-news audience meltdown.”

“Overall audience decline: 13 percent,” Farhi tweeted, along with a breakdown of figures for Fox News, MSNBC and CNN.

⏱ On tap

The House and Senate are out this week. President Biden is in Chicago, and Vice President Harris is in D.C.

• 8 a.m.: President Biden received the Presidential Daily Briefing.
• 9:10 a.m.: Biden departed the White House for his trip to Chicago.         
• 11:15 a.m.: Biden arrived in Chicago.
• Noon: Biden began his speech on “Bidenomics” at the Old Post Office in Chicago.
• 1:15 p.m.: Biden will attend a campaign reception.
• 4:50 p.m.: Biden will depart Chicago to head back to D.C.
• 7:45 p.m.: Biden will arrive back at the White House.

Looking ahead:

• The Supreme Court is expected to issue one or more rulings Thursday on major cases argued during this term.
• President Biden is heading to New York City on Thursday for two campaign receptions.

All times Eastern.

📺 What to watch

• TBD: Principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Chicago. (Listen to the playback here)
• 10:30 a.m.: Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a discussion on President Biden’s foreign policy agenda at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. (Watch here)
• 11 a.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was on today’s episode of “The View.” (ABC – Watch for clips online or stream online)
• 9 p.m.: NewsNation hosts a town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Watch here)

🤗 In lighter news

Today is National Day of Joy! Take a moment to think about what brings you joy. What puts a smile on your face when you think about it. Taking a moment for positivity can do wonders for mental wellbeing. If you need some inspiration, check out NPR’s Joy Generator.

And because you made it this far, check out this heartwarming video of a chimp named Vanilla getting to enjoy the outdoors for the first time after spending her life in captivity. Her expression looking up at the sky is amazing. (I’m not crying, I swear!)