Jeffries stalls final vote on Trump megabill with marathon floor speech
Source: The Hill
07/03/25 9:36 AM ET
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) commandeered the chamber floor early Thursday morning to deliver a marathon speech hammering away at the GOPs tax and spending cut bill, stalling a final vote on the sprawling package full of President Trumps legislative priorities.
The Republican bill is almost 900 pages long, and Jeffries bashed House GOP leaders for allotting only one hour of debate on its contents before the final vote, split into 30-minute segments between the two main committees of jurisdiction. The Democratic leader said he wanted to compensate for what he considers a dearth of discussion, warning Republicans at the outset that he was going to take my sweet time.
It had been my hope, Mr. Speaker, that wed be able to have a robust debate, passionate support, or passionate opposition in connection with this bill. That hundreds of members on both sides of the aisle could participate in, and instead we have a limited debate where the relevant committees of jurisdiction have been given 15 minutes each on a bill of such significant magnitude as it relates to the health, the safety, and the well-being of the American people, Jeffries said. And because that debate was so limited, I feel the obligation, Mr. Speaker, to stand on this House floor and take my sweet time to tell the stories of the American people.
And thats exactly what I intend to do take my sweet time. Hes doing just that. Jeffries took the House floor at 4:53 a.m. EDT Thursday for what is referred to as his magic minute, which empowers leaders in both parties to speak in the chamber for as long as they want during legislative debates. As of 9:30 a.m., Jeffries was still speaking crossing the four-hour mark and sparking speculation that he may try to break the record for longest speech on the House floor.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5383376-jeffries-marathon-speech-trump-bill/
He is still talking. He started just before 5 am EDT (8 hours at post time).

Wild blueberry
(7,748 posts)Thank you.
Freddie
(9,908 posts)Philly folks dont take any shit.
Bluetus
(1,278 posts)If the Republicans are determined to take a wrecking ball to what is left of our democracy, let them at least be inconvenienced for a day.
ificandream
(11,243 posts)LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)I am enjoying Jeffries using his magic minute
Filibusters are not allowed in the House but each party leadership has a "magic minute". I found this description of the "rules" for "magic minutes".
Link to tweet
💡Theoretically can last indefinitely
💡Can only be done by a party leader
💡Speaker cannot stop to take questions
💡Speaker cannot be replaced
Send him strong vibes right now!
Thanks to @RepVeasey for the tutorial 💙

PatSeg
(50,587 posts)For someone so understated and soft spoken, he certainly has been a dynamic leader.
LetMyPeopleVote
(166,210 posts)Three months after Sen. Cory Booker broke his chamber's record for the longest speech ever, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries broke the House's record.
Obviously, what matters is the impact the Republican megabill will have on the public, but as symbolic developments go, it was good to see @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social break the record for the longest speech in House history. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2025-07-03T17:32:53.612Z
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/hakeem-jeffries-house-floor-speech-record-trump-bill-rcna216772
As of 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jeffries was continuing to deliver remarks after speaking for more than eight hours and 35 minutes.
During congressional debates, the vast majority of members are only allowed to deliver brief, minute-long remarks. But three members the House speaker, majority leader and minority leader can exploit what are known as magic minutes, allowing them to speak as long as they wish.
In 2018, for example, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the House minority leader at the time, stood on the House floor for over eight hours, seeking a vote on protections for Dreamers. It broke the institutions record for the longest speech ever delivered on the House floor.
Three years later, then-Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California broke Pelosis record, holding the floor to condemn the Democrats Build Back Better legislation.
Now, its Jeffries, who made a devastating case against the inaptly named One Big Beautiful Bill Act, who holds the top slot.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3lt2p63ee422g
Link to tweet
......The Democratic leader might not have changed any GOP minds, but his record-breaking presentation brought some much-needed attention to the case against the most regressive legislative package in at least a generation.
DownriverDem
(6,864 posts)all the Americans who will be hurt. Even those with health insurance through work wiil lose the protections that came from the Affordable Care Act. So many folks are really ignorant what is going to happen.
Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)
orangecrush This message was self-deleted by its author.
Aviation Pro
(14,516 posts)I think he can.
LudwigPastorius
(12,920 posts)The Grand Illuminist
(1,835 posts)
LuvLoogie
(8,135 posts)when you've realized you don't know the material as well as you thought you did.
It would have been nice if he spent record time getting the Democratic caucus in front of the people in their states arguing the case. TV cameras in the chambers and the Capitol steps ain't cuttin' it.