House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has temporarily stalled momentum on President Donald Trump’s sweeping $3.3 trillion domestic agenda bill—dubbed the “Big, Beautiful Bill”—after taking control of the House floor in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Jeffries began speaking at approximately 4:55 a.m., exercising a leadership privilege known as the “magic minute,” which allows party leaders to speak for an unlimited amount of time. According to GOP lawmakers, the New York Democrat arrived with multiple binders—reading from one of them for nearly three hours—as he launched into an extended critique of the Republican-led legislation.
“I feel the obligation, Mr. Speaker, to stand on this House floor and take my sweet time,” Jeffries said at one point.
His remarks came just hours after the House narrowly passed a key procedural vote, 219–213, allowing the chamber to begin debate on the final version of Trump’s legislation, which had been amended by the Senate earlier in the week.
A Critical Hurdle Crossed, But Final Vote Still Awaits
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and President Trump both spent hours negotiating with holdouts in the House GOP conference—particularly members of the conservative Freedom Caucus—after several lawmakers threatened to derail the measure. The breakthrough marked a win for Republican leadership, but the final vote now hinges on when Jeffries yields the floor.
Though the minority has little procedural power to block the legislation under the reconciliation process, Democrats are using every available tactic to delay the vote—just as they did when the House first passed its version of the bill by a single vote in May.
Jeffries Slams Bill as ‘Cruel and Reckless’
In his extended floor speech, Jeffries read testimony from Americans who, he said, would be directly harmed by the bill’s changes to Medicaid and other safety net programs. He referred to the legislation as “one big ugly bill,” accusing Republicans of “ripping food out of the mouths of children, veterans, and seniors” while delivering tax breaks to the wealthy.
“This Congress is on the verge of undermining the quality of life for millions in order to reward billionaires with massive tax breaks, all while exploding the national debt,” Jeffries said.
What’s in the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’?
The legislation, one of the most ambitious packages of Trump’s presidency, would:
- Permanently extend individual tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
- Eliminate taxes on tipped income and overtime wages up to new thresholds
- Roll back green energy tax credits passed under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act
- Raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion to prevent a summer default
- Send $150 billion in new funding to the military and increase ICE enforcement
- Provide $46 billion for new construction on Trump’s southern border wall
- Implement new work requirements for Medicaid and food assistance recipients
- Add a senior tax deduction for those aged 65 and over
Republicans argue the bill delivers on Trump’s core campaign promises: tax relief, border security, and a strong defense. But Democrats have criticized it as a handout to the wealthy that slashes support for low-income families and state-level healthcare programs.
Narrow Senate Passage, Tensions Over Changes
The Senate passed its version of the bill on Tuesday morning by the narrowest of margins, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Senate Republicans made key revisions, including changes to Medicaid cost-sharing formulas, temporary debt ceiling adjustments, and tax provisions that sparked concern among both moderate and conservative House Republicans.
Speaker Johnson publicly expressed frustration with the Senate changes, stating, “I’m not happy with what the Senate did to our product.” Nevertheless, Trump urged GOP lawmakers to unite and finalize the legislation.
“It’s everyone’s bill now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There is so much to be proud of… but the biggest winner of all will be the American people.”
Democrats Push to Prolong Debate
Progressive lawmakers, including Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., confirmed plans to use every available procedural tool to delay the bill.
“Last time, we delayed it for over 30 hours,” Frost told reporters. “We’re going to try again.”
Despite the efforts, a final vote is still expected sometime Thursday, depending on when Jeffries finishes. However, logistical issues—including inclement weather in Washington—could cause further delays.
“We’re monitoring the weather closely,” Johnson told reporters. “There’s a lot of delays right now.”
Both chambers are working with razor-thin Republican majorities, heightening the stakes as lawmakers race toward Trump’s goal of signing the bill by Independence Day.
