Hakeem Jeffries sets record for longest House speech before vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill"

Washington — There's no filibuster in the House, but Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries essentially conducted one anyway as the House debated President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" before it passed on Thursday.

Jeffries held the House floor for more than eight hours, taking his "sweet time" with a marathon floor speech that delayed passage of Republicans' massive tax and spending cuts legislation and gave his minority party a lengthy spotlight to excoriate what he called an "immoral" bill.

As Democratic leader, Jeffries can speak for as long as he wants during debate on legislation — hence its nickname on Capitol Hill, the "magic minute," that lasts as long as leaders are speaking.