Senator Cory Booker Breaks Historic Record for Longest Senate Speech
In a historic moment in the Senate starting on March 31, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker spoke for over 25 hours straight to protest the actions of Donald Trump’s administration.
Booker broke the record for longest Senate speech in history, beating the previous record holder Strom Thurmond who spoke in the Senate for over 24 hours to filibuster against the 1957 Civil Rights Act. Booker took a stand against policies enacted by the Trump administration, urging others to act while emphasizing the fragility of America’s current democracy.
Booker spoke at length about the dangerous policies that have been enacted by Trump’s administration that he believes have caused extensive harm to the American people. Booker stated, “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. From our highest offices: a sense of common decency. These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such.”
Not only was Booker’s speech record-breaking, it was also a feat of incredible endurance, testing his own physical limitations. Booker stated that in order to speak so long without any breaks (including bathroom breaks) he had to fast and dehydrate himself severely (against his own doctor’s advice).
Booker’s speech was not just incoherent rambling to fill time as some filibusters have been historically known for, it was a prepared speech where he was actively engaged for the entire 25 hours. Booker later stated that his staff prepared at least ten binders full of information for him to use in the speech.
Booker took to the social media app “X,” formerly known as “Twitter,” to share additional thoughts a week after his speech in the Senate, typing, “A week after my remarks on the Senate floor I am more energized then ever to continue to fight for Americans on Medicaid, Americans worried about Social Security, Americans looking for opportunity in their local economy. More and more stories are being shared every day about our shared desired to redeem the dream for all Americans.”
