Good morning! New Mexico police arrested an 11-year-old kid for an alleged monthlong crime spree that included shootings, robbery, and car theft. Maybe age really is just a number.

CONGRESS

💰 Congressional reimbursements gone wild

Like most of us, Congress can’t raise its own pay. So what can it do to help alleviate the cost of maintaining two homes, one of which is in one of the nation’s most expensive cities? Create a rules-lite reimbursement program. Duh.

In 2023, the House created the program for itself (the Senate doesn’t take part). The spending isn’t new, though. It comes from their office and staff budgets. And lawmakers can only seek reimbursement for specific things, which doesn’t include mortgage payments:

• Rent

• Utilities

• Food

• Property taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.

Critically, they can only be reimbursed for days when they’re in D.C. and working. And the cash isn’t available to members who live within 50 miles of the Capitol. Daily reimbursement limits are determined by the same guidelines that apply to federal employees.

The top spenders received about $30,000 for housing and about $10,000 for food. Not coincidentally, most of those members are from safely Republican or safely Democratic districts and aren’t in danger of losing reelection.

• The office of one big spender, Rep. Nancy Mace, said she follows "all the rules for reimbursements.” She's facing a tough primary challenge tomorrow.

• Critics say the program is rife with abuse since it doesn't require record-keeping.

Senators and representatives earn $174,000 per year. That hasn't changed since 2009. Were that adjusted for 15 years of inflation, they'd be raking in over $250,000.

• As of a few years ago, about 100 congresscritters were sleeping in their offices and showering at the House gym.

• One who recently left office cited the low pay as the reason. He said he couldn't afford to raise his special needs son on a congressional salary. The youngest member of Congress, he's 27, echoed that sentiment and said he serving in Congress shouldn't only be an option for the wealthy.

Some "good government" advocates believe the rule that "you get what you pay for" should apply to Congress. Pay them more money and you'll get more capable people (and fewer idiots) running the country.

The alternate view is that these people work for us and they, ya know, suck at their jobs. Congress' approval rating is an ice-cold 13%, making them historically less popular than hemorrhoids and root canals.

In other news...

• The Supreme Court's term ends later this month but several big decisions haven't been handed down yet — they usually save the best (biggest) for last. More opinions should drop on Thursday.

• Two congressmen are making a bipartisan push to put lifesaving defibrillators in schools

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned the U.S. to take care of its growing debt problem

POLITICS

🔴 Trump:

• Trump's NYC trial judge informed his attorneys of a Facebook post claiming a juror spilled the beans before Trump's conviction. The post is likely a troll but if it’s legit, it could result in Trump’s conviction being tossed and the trial starting over.

• Trump has a virtual interview today with a New York City probation officer. The required meeting is meant to provide the court with more information on a defendant ahead of sentencing.

• Betting markets have Sen. Tim Scott as a slight favorite for the VP nod. But TheHill.com takes a look at five possible dark horse VP nominees including Trump rival Nikki Haley and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

🔵 Biden:

• Members of Biden's Cabinet are hitting the campaign trail. Fundraisers with Cabinet secretaries give donors an inside look at the White House without the huge ticket cost of actual presidential events.

• Biden has gained some ground in the wake of Trump's felony conviction. Swing state polls that once showed Trump making a clean sweep have moved ever-so-slightly toward Biden.

• As pro-Palestinian activists protested outside the White House, VP Harris was heckled at a speech in Detroit while speaking about Israel. The issue highlights Biden’s potential weakness with these (mostly young) voters.

⚪ The presidential campaign of left-wing independent Cornel West is struggling to get his name on the ballot — a process that’s different in every state. Not to worry, though. He's getting some free help from Republican political operatives who hope he siphons votes off that would otherwise go to Biden.

TRIVIA

It’s been 50 years since a sitting VP had to take over the top job (when Nixon resigned). That means we’re just two years away from breaking the record of 52 years. When was that 52-year timespan in which a VP never ascended to the presidency?

Hint: It’s been a looong time.

WORLD

🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina: Half of a country you’ve never heard of wants independence. No, not Bosnia. Or Herzegovina. This is Republika Srpska — the country's other, anti-vowel half. It’s full of ethnic Serbians but strangely isn't part of the independent nation of Serbia next door.

🇪🇺 European Union: Voters across the 27-member E.U. cast ballots for the international European Parliament. Right-wing parties surged continent-wide and won big in France and Germany (which has big ramifications for the French). But centrist and moderately center-right parties look set to hold onto power.

🇫🇷 France: President Macron welcomed President Biden for an official state visit. The diplomatic pomp and circumstance included a state dinner at the Élysée Palace. France, Biden said, was America's, "first friend" (due to mutual 1700s hate of the English).

🇮🇱 Israel: Israeli soldiers rescued four hostages in Gaza. The U.S. supported the raid but acknowledged the tragic Palestinian deaths it caused. Israel blamed Hamas for those deaths, saying the terror group illegally used civilians as human shields.

🇺🇸 United States: Gov. Kathy Hochul killed New York’s plan to help fund the subways by charging drivers in Manhattan. Suburban commuters opposed the idea. But proponents say it's the only way to ease congestion in a place where cars now move at an average of just 7.1 mph.

BRIEFS

• Wild flamingos are back in Florida after a 100-year absence since being carried to the state and dropped there by a 2023 hurricane

• Caitlin Clark, the WNBA's only newest rockstar, was not given a spot on the U.S. Olympic team

• Benny Gantz, a moderate member of Israel's "war cabinet," resigned in protest of Israel’s (alleged) lack of a post-war plan for Gaza

• A Mexican man with bird flu died but had other medical problems and a different strain of the disease than the one affecting U.S. cows

• Four Russian naval ships will dock in Havana, Cuba this week to celebrate "friendly relations" between the countries

• The U.N. issued a strongly worded statement rebuking Iran for not cooperating with its investigation into the country's nuclear program

QUOTE

SNACKS

🏋️ Fiji: Fiji’s 75-year-old prime minister just won bronze in an international shot put tournament. Who wants to see Biden and Trump compete next?

🚧 Renos: Diana Ross and Jelly Roll performed at the reopening of Detroit’s humongous old 18-story train station after Ford’s eye-popping $950 million renovation.

🎾 Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz, 21, won his third Grand Slam with a victory at the men’s French Open. Women’s champ Iga Świątek, 23, won her fifth.

📺 White Collar: The creator and original cast are on board as “White Collar” becomes the latest old show to get a streaming-fueled reboot.

ANSWER

No president died or resigned — so no vice president got that sweet, sweet promotion — between 1789 and 1841. History nerds out there might recognize that first year as the one in which our main man George Washington took office.

Should the next president make it about two years into the next term, we’ll finally break this record. Sounds like a great time to nominate the top two oldest candidates ever.