WASHINGTON D.C., USA, July 04 (V7N) – House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has etched his name in U.S. parliamentary history by delivering the longest "magic minute" speech ever recorded in the House of Representatives. Speaking for an astounding 8 hours and 44 minutes, Jeffries began his marathon address at 4:53 AM ET, ultimately surpassing the previous record held by then-Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in 2021 by a significant margin.

The "magic minute" is an informal House tradition that grants party leaders unlimited speaking time at the close of debate, effectively allowing them to stage a prolonged protest similar to a filibuster in the Senate. Jeffries leveraged this procedural perk to its fullest extent in a last-ditch effort by Democrats to delay a final vote on President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

Throughout his extensive speech, Jeffries launched a fierce critique of the Republican-backed legislative package, which includes $4.5 trillion in extended tax breaks and substantial cuts to crucial social welfare programs such as Medicaid and SNAP. He repeatedly warned that these proposed cuts would inflict severe damage on American healthcare, stating, "hospitals will close, including all throughout rural America. People in America will die unnecessary deaths. That is outrageous. It's disgusting." He also accused Republicans of "cruelty, chaos and corruption."

Beyond his legislative critique, Jeffries interspersed his remarks with personal anecdotes about his parents and childhood, and even quoted the Bible. Despite appearing visibly fatigued after hours of continuous speaking, he persisted, buoyed by the encouragement of his Democratic colleagues who chanted "take your sweet time" as he approached the 520-minute mark.

While Jeffries' record-breaking speech successfully postponed the vote on the controversial bill for several hours, House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed shortly after its conclusion that he had secured the necessary votes for the bill's passage.

Democrats, united in their opposition, have vowed to vigorously campaign against the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" ahead of the 2026 midterms. They are framing the legislation as a "historic transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich," signaling that its impact on healthcare, food assistance, and other social safety nets will be a central issue in the upcoming electoral cycle. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the bill could add $3.3 trillion to the deficit and lead to nearly 12 million Americans losing health coverage over the next decade.

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