U.S. Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) delivers a marathon speech in opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s large tax-cut and spending invoice, forward of a vote on ultimate passage of the laws within the Home of Representatives contained in the Home Chamber of the U.S. Capitol, on this nonetheless picture from video in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 3, 2025.
U.S. Home TV/Handout through Reuters
The U.S. Home of Representatives voted to go President Donald Trump’s home coverage package deal on Thursday after Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who represents a part of Brooklyn, spoke for over eight hours in opposition.
The $4.5 trillion invoice would lower taxes and social companies, together with Medicare and Medicaid applications, whereas growing funding for border safety and immigration enforcement. It now heads to the White Home, the place it’s all however sure Trump will signal it into regulation.
Jeffries, the Home minority chief, broke the file for the longest speech given on the ground of the U.S. Home of Representatives as he implored congressional Republicans to vote in opposition to the 887-page megabill. Solely 4 Republicans would have needed to vote in opposition to the invoice for it to fail.
The Congressional Finances Workplace, an impartial analysis company, estimated that the invoice may add $3.3 trillion to the nationwide debt whereas inflicting almost 11.8 million Individuals to lose healthcare protection. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s workplace discovered that 1.5 New Yorkers might be affected by cuts to Medicare and Medicare.
Throughout his marathon speech, Jeffries lambasted Republicans for the invoice, saying social spending cuts would damage susceptible Individuals and your entire economic system. He additionally criticized Trump’s immigration insurance policies and framed the invoice as a giveaway for the rich.
“Leadership requires courage, conviction, compassion — and yet what we have seen from this administration and co-conspirators on the Republican side of the aisle is cruelty, chaos and corruption,” Jeffries mentioned.
Jeffries yielded the ground after talking for 8 hours and 44 minutes, after which Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-KY) responded briefly. Johnson listed the Trump administration’s home and worldwide coverage achievements earlier than calling for a vote.
“It takes a lot longer to build a lie than to tell the simple truth,” Johnson mentioned of Jeffries’ speech.
“Democrats deliver performances, and Republicans deliver results,” Johnson added. “Today, my friends, we are ready now, we are going to deliver what we were sent here to do, and every American will benefit from it.”
Two Republicans voted in opposition to the invoice: Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Republicans, who maintain a slim majority, had room for 3 occasion members to interrupt ranks.
Jeffries broke the file for longest-ever speech, set by former Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who spoke for 8 hours and 32 minutes in opposition to former President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” invoice in 2021, which finally handed.
After Jeffries yielded the ground, Democrats surrounded him, embracing him and chanting his title. Democrats have been enthusiastically cheering their chief since he began at 4:53 a.m., shouting “Preach!” and “Tell them, Mr. Leader!” as they inspired him to proceed talking.
Jeffries’ speech was not a filibuster, the Senate rule that enables members to talk for a vast period of time, however moderately used his privilege as a chamber chief to talk past his allotted 60 seconds, recognized in Home custom as a “magic minute.” He seemed to be trying to convey nationwide consideration to Democrats at a pivotal second for home coverage.
Towards the tip of his speech, Jeffries mentioned he wished to learn from the biblical E book of Matthew to spotlight what he mentioned was the hypocrisy and immorality of Republicans’ laws. He particularly pointed to the invoice’s cuts to Medicare and Medicaid applications.
“Truly, I tell you, whatever you did, whatever you did, whatever you did for one of the least of these, brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,” Jeffries mentioned, quoting Matthews 25:40. “That’s what we should be doing here in the United States House of Representatives. Our job is to stand up for the poor, the sick and the afflicted.”
Jeffries completed his speech by invoking the late civil rights chief and Georgia congressman John Lewis, saying Democrats can be undeterred even after the invoice.
“No matter what the outcome is on this singular day, we’re going to press on,” Jeffries mentioned. “We’re going to press on until victory is won.”
Up to date at 2:36 p.m. on July 3.
