House Democrats Stall Megabill Vote With Hours-Long Speech, Lawmakers Sleep on Floor

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivered a marathon speech lasting over six hours in an effort to delay the vote on President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, a comprehensive legislative package. During the speech, at least one Democratic lawmaker, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, was seen repeatedly nodding off and was eventually replaced by Rep. Sarah McBride, highlighting the exhaustion among lawmakers after an all-night session. Jeffries criticized the bill for cutting taxes for working Americans while also opposing what he described as cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, calling it the "big, ugly bill." Republicans, meanwhile, maintained their slim majority and pushed to pass the bill despite procedural challenges and internal holdouts. The speech drew widespread mockery and was seen by some Republicans as a surrender, with Vice President JD Vance noting that Jeffries’ performance convinced an undecided GOP congressman to support the bill. The event underscored the partisan tensions and the high stakes surrounding the passage of President Trump's marquee legislative agenda.