Jeffries Sets New Record in House Floor Speech
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made history in the House on Thursday by breaking the speech record during ongoing discussions over President Donald Trump’s substantial policy proposal.
Utilizing “magic minutes,” a privilege that allows party leaders to speak for extended periods, Jeffries aimed to stall the final vote on Trump’s extensive tax and immigration legislation, which had been under consideration since approximately 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
His use of this tactic resulted in the longest “magic minutes” speech in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives, surpassing the record set by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who previously spoke for eight hours and 36 minutes against the Democrats’ Build Back Better Bill in November 2021.
As lawmakers continued to navigate the complexities of the bill, which seeks to facilitate fiscal legislation by lowering the Senate’s voting threshold from 60 to 51 votes, Jeffries began speaking shortly before 4 a.m. on Thursday. He officially broke McCarthy’s record around 1:30 p.m.
At one point, Jeffries remarked, “I feel an obligation to stand on the floor of this house and take my sweet time.”
In the initial segment of his speech, he referenced Medicaid coverage potentially at risk for state residents due to the GOP bill, arguing that the legislation could have dire consequences for many vulnerable populations.
“This Congress is on the verge of tearing food from the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors as a result of this one big, ugly bill,” he stated, emphasizing that it would favor billionaires with substantial tax breaks while increasing national debt.
He characterized the proposed legislation as a “big, ugly bill,” claiming that it would undermine the quality of life for Americans by favoring the wealthy.
Further, he alleged that Republicans were disadvantaging low-income individuals while providing tax credits to the affluent, mentioning figures like Elon Musk as particularly egregious examples.
Jeffries stressed that while programs like SNAP offer minimal support to those in need—citing $6 per day—Musk would effectively be earning $8 million daily under federal contracts.
He urged that if Republicans were genuinely interested in addressing waste, fraud, and abuse, they should start with individuals like Musk rather than threatening essential support for children, seniors, and veterans.
House Republicans are expected to cast their votes soon.
