Booker sets record for longest Senate speech in history

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.,, speaks during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) — (AP Photo)

THE HILL - Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Tuesday set a new record for longest floor speech in Senate history, having held the floor for 25 hours and 5 minutes to decry potential GOP spending cuts in their looming tax bill and policies put in place by the Trump administration.

Booker, the No. 4 member of Democratic leadership, wrapped up at 8:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday, having started at 7 p.m. the previous day — topping the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes held by former Sen. Strom Thurmond (S.C.).

As he neared that mark, Booker noted there’s a room on the Senate side of the Capitol named after Thurmond, who set the original record filibustering against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

“To hate him is wrong, and maybe my ego got too caught up in, if I stood here maybe, maybe — just maybe — I could break this record of the man who tried to stop the rights upon which I stand,” Booker said. “I’m not here, though, because of his speech. I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) then proceeded to ask Booker if he knew he had just set the new mark.

“Do you know you’ve just broken the record? Do you know how proud this caucus is of you? Do you know how proud America is of you?” Schumer asked.

Booker eventually said he would keep speaking for a little longer before going off to deal with some “biological urgencies.” He was unable to leave the floor for a bathroom break during his speech.

Booker’s speech came as part of a broader effort by Democrats to highlight what they view as perilous actions by Republicans, including potential spending cuts to the tune of trillions of dollars and ongoing efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash the federal workforce.

It also comes as the party tries to turn the page following a rocky stretch. Democrats have been trying to move past the bruising fight over funding the government last month after Schumer led a group of colleagues to help pass a GOP-written government funding bill, angering the base.

The next major battle in Congress will be over the GOP’s effort to enact President Trump’s domestic agenda without Democratic votes, and Booker is set to play a key role, given his leadership post in charge of the party’s communications efforts.

“It’s a message that we’re listening,” Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said. “And we share with them their horror at what Trump is doing.”

“Anything and everything we can do to show the horror that Trump is doing is a good thing,” he added, noting that their tools are limited given that they only have 47 votes. “Anything we can do that’s creative, and what Sen. Booker’s doing is inspiring.”

Republicans are hoping to move expeditiously in order to make their 2017 tax cuts permanent. GOP lawmakers have maintained that Social Security will not be touched in this effort, while any changes to Medicaid will not be aimed at beneficiaries, but rather to root out “waste, fraud and abuse.”

This led Booker to embark on his marathon speech, during which he was required to remain standing and was unable to leave his desk. The New Jersey Democrat had a Senate page take away his chair so he was not tempted to sit down throughout his speech, according to Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).

Booker was helped by scores of Democratic colleagues who appeared on the floor to ask him questions, with some speaking on their own for minutes on end to temporarily ease the burden.

He also received a minibreak at 12 p.m. EDT Tuesday when he suspended his speech to allow for the Senate to hold the opening prayer. Senate Chaplain Barry Black made specific mentions of the Senate floor staff, Capitol Police, stenographers and pages who worked “throughout the night” and thanked them for their work.

But it was Booker who largely talked throughout, having declared that he was ready to “stand here for as many hours as I can.”

“In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy and even our aspirations as a people for — from our highest offices — a sense of common decency,” Booker said at one point.

At times, Booker read letters from constituents who were being affected by actions by the administration.

While not technically a “filibuster,” Booker’s move to hold the floor more than 24 hours forced headaches for both parties.

A planned vote by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to end Trump’s emergency declaration, which the president used as a basis for imposing tariffs on Canada, was postponed until Wednesday.

On the GOP side, it could delay leaders’ ability to get the ball rolling on the party’s compromise budget resolution to tee up the package of Trump priorities. When asked when he expects to see text of the resolution, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) jokingly responded, “When Cory stops talking.”

“He’s certainly delaying things,” he said with a laugh. “He’s a really good talker.”

Republicans had been hoping to hold a vote-a-rama to adopt the budget resolution by the end of the week.

While surpassing Thurmond’s record, Booker also blew past the longest speech of the 21st century. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) spoke for 21 hours and 19 minutes in a 2013 speech opposing the Affordable Care Act. The Texas Republican’s remarks are perhaps best known for his reading of “Green Eggs and Ham” from the floor.

Even some Republicans were impressed with Booker’s ability to hold the floor even if they questioned the overall effectiveness — or had to be in the chamber at odd hours to preside over proceedings.

Notably, Booker’s speech outlasted the House’s entire week, which completed work for the week by midafternoon Tuesday.

“I’ve always liked peaceful activism, and this is about as peaceful as activism could get,” Cramer said. “Cory’s sort of fun to watch because he’s gifted. He’s a gifted orator. … So I just sort of admire it.”

“It sucks to preside from [12:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.], but that’s the burden of being in the majority I guess,” he continued, adding that he was thankful that Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) was “right on time” to backfill him.