On Thursday, July 3, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives moved closer to a final vote on President Donald Trump’s expansive tax cut and spending bill, dubbed the “megabill.” The legislative push followed hours of Republican internal drama and a historic, record-breaking speech by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who vehemently opposed the measure.
Minority Leader Jeffries (D-N.Y.) delivered the longest House floor speech in U.S. history, speaking for over eight hours and surpassing the previous record set by then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in 2021. Jeffries’ marathon address, which began before 5 a.m. and concluded shortly after 1:30 p.m. EDT, aimed to delay the bill’s passage and highlight its perceived negative impacts. Throughout his remarks, Jeffries frequently referenced binders containing notes from Americans, detailing how they would be affected by proposed cuts to vital programs like Medicaid and SNAP benefits. He characterized the legislation as “wrong, dangerous, and cruel,” asserting that “cruelty should not be either the objective or the outcome of legislation that we consider here in the United States House of Representatives.” (NBC News)
Jeffries specifically criticized the bill’s potential to cut Medicaid, which the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects could lead to nearly 12 million people losing health insurance over the next decade. He also assailed proposed work requirements for able-bodied adults under 65 and changes to how states fund Medicaid. Furthermore, the Democratic leader pointed to billions in government contracts and subsidies received by Elon Musk’s companies, SpaceX and Tesla, arguing that if Republicans were serious about targeting waste, they should “start there.” (NBC News)
Democrats rallied behind Jeffries, giving him a standing ovation and chanting his name as he concluded his speech by quoting civil rights icons John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr., urging his colleagues and the American people to “press on” for various segments of society, including children, seniors, veterans, and the middle class. (ABC News)
Despite the Democratic opposition, the “megabill,” a cornerstone of President Trump’s “America First agenda,” was poised for passage. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) credited President Trump’s direct involvement in pressuring Republican holdouts to flip their votes, ensuring the measure could advance before the president’s self-imposed July Fourth deadline. Johnson lauded the bill, stating it would make the country “stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before, and every American is going to benefit from that.” He dismissed Jeffries’ criticisms as “hogwash,” a sentiment echoed by Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.).
The Senate version of the bill, which the House was voting on, is projected to add approximately $1 trillion more to the national deficit than the version passed by the House in May, a point of contention for Republican fiscal conservatives. Beyond tax cuts and changes to social safety nets, the bill includes significant funding increases for immigration enforcement and the military, while simultaneously cutting Biden-era clean energy tax credits. The White House’s rapid response team criticized Jeffries’ speech, accusing him of “bloviating” to delay the bill and asserting that he “wants America to fail.” (NBC News)
As the first African American to lead a party in either chamber of Congress, Jeffries’ (Wikipedia) historic speech underscored the deep partisan divide over the Trump administration’s legislative priorities, even as the House prepared for a vote that would likely see the controversial bill become law.
