This week, the “No Kings” movement made its way to Capitol Hill as the Democratic opposition to President Trump ramped up. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) held the Senate floor for 22 hours and 39 minutes from Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon, shortly after millions across the country protested against the administration’s actions.
Merkley, who has served three terms, began at 6:21 p.m. on Tuesday and continued until 5 p.m. on Wednesday. He expressed concerns over what he considers the president’s “authoritarian” methods, particularly regarding the National Guard’s deployment in Portland, Oregon.
This occurred during the government shutdown’s third week, emphasizing the existing political divide. While Democrats supported Merkley in pushing for the inclusion of Affordable Care Act subsidy extensions in the funding bill, Republicans dismissed his speech as theatrics.
Although it’s not likely to shift the dynamics of the shutdown, it served as another attempt by Democrats to rally their base against Trump.
“People kept asking at town halls, ‘Why can’t we do more?’ or ‘Is there anything else we can do?'” Merkley mentioned after finishing his speech. “Action is underway,” he added.
He noted, “With the recent atmosphere following the No Kings march on Saturday, we thought the timing was just right. We didn’t want to lose that momentum.”
Preparing for his speech was no small feat; he mentioned consuming just “every last sip of water” and that it had been breakfast on the flight to Washington. At one point during the marathon speech, he nearly fainted.
Many colleagues joined him on the floor, posing lengthy questions to break things up. They seemed unified about the timing of the speech.
“This continues the momentum from Saturday’s No Kings rally, where 7 million people united to defend our democracy,” stated Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “Senator Merkley is bringing this energy to the Senate.”
She added, “Republicans may not want to acknowledge it—they might cover their ears or avoid town halls—but Democrats are focused on confronting them about how Trump undermines democracy and how they enable it.”
Merkley is known for his progressive stance and has openly criticized what he views as the increasing authoritarianism of Trump and the Republican Party.
Throughout his speech, he aimed to “wake up” the public about Trump’s attempts to “trample” the Constitution.
“We are facing the gravest threat to our republic since the Civil War,” he declared.
Merkley pointed to the Justice Department’s recent indictments of prominent Trump opponents, reductions in healthcare funding, and the withdrawal of research grants that support Trump’s claims.
The timing was particularly significant as an appeals court had just approved the National Guard’s deployment to Portland, the largest city in Oregon.
“This is a critical message,” remarked Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the state’s senior senator. “Our city is struggling.”
Wyden noted that Merkley has consistently raised concerns about authoritarianism in discussions over breakfast and other meetings for some time. “He’s been reflecting on this for weeks,” he remarked.
Most Senate Democrats were caught off guard by Merkley’s decision to hold the floor, with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) expressing surprise.
The speech took place amid a government shutdown with no resolution in sight. Democrats have been vocal about extending health care subsidies that will expire at the end of the year. Anticipation of rising Obamacare premiums has added pressure as states prepare for open enrollment.
Republicans have remained firm, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) stating discussions could not initiate until Democrats agreed to reopen the government.
This atmosphere has resulted in a stalemate. Not long after Merkley’s speech ended, the Senate failed for the 12th time to pass a bill to reestablish operations.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York asserted that his group would “categorically” oppose the continuing resolution passed by the House and would continue advocating for an extension of these tax credits.
Merkley’s speech drew ire from Senate Republicans, who accused him of putting Capitol Police and staff through all-night shifts without pay.
“It was a significant effort,” Merkley admitted, later expressing gratitude to the staff who worked through the night.
Critics like Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took issue with Merkley reading “How Democracies Die” during the overnight session, stating, “It’s remarkable he chooses to talk about anything but actually reopening the government.” He suggested that many were unhappy about being compelled to work through the night without compensation due to Democratic strategies.
Others were more succinct in their criticism, labeling the speech as mere hot air. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) dismissively said, “I don’t think anything of it. It’s pointless—he’s just talking to himself and maybe a few from his radical base who had trouble sleeping.” He characterized it as entirely fruitless, remarking that it didn’t resolve any issues.
