Another 'magic minute' speech? Democratic Leader Jeffries's speech crosses '8 hours', delays vote on Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'

It has been hours hours since Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the New York Democrat and minority leader, has been giving his speech in the US House on Thursday, with an aim to delay voting on President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' on tax and spending. Jeffries has been continuing his marathon speech, opposing Republican's signature legislation carrying Trump's domestic agenda.

He even began his speech by saying that he was "planning to take my sweet time” with his speech. Allotted 60 seconds, Jeffries was making use of his prerogative as a leader to stretch his allotted time, and took far longer than that, in a house tradition "magic minute".

Trump has earlier said that he wants to sign the bill by July 4. However, Jeffries has no chance of stopping the bill even if he delays the voting.

Jeffries in his speech, said, "Republicans are trying to jam this one, big, ugly bill down the throats of the American people,” urging lawmakers to vote against it.

Further, the speech mainly focuses on the ramifications of spending cuts to social safety programs, laying out stories of vulnerable Americans who might be affected by its Medicaid cuts.

“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,” he said, adding that the bill was “an extraordinary assault on the health care of the American people.”

US House Speaker Mike Johnson was likely to address the chamber once Jeffries' speech ends. However, Johnson also has unlimited time, but earlier, he told reporters that he expected his speech would be shorter than Jeffries.

'Magic Minute Speech'

If democratic leader wants to set a record of a magic minute, he still has to continue for one more hour. Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, then the Republican leader, spoke for more than eight hours to delay a vote on a $2 trillion Democratic bill in 2021.

They did this with a motive to strengthen the social safety net and fight climate change.