House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has now been talking for more than three hours in a rambling speech aimed to delay the house vote on the Build Back Better Act.
Under the rules, The Speaker, majority leader, and minority leader are allowed to speak for unlimited amounts of time before a vote can be held on any legislation in what’s known as a “magic minute.”
McCarthy’s speech went from the main GOP arguments against the legislation to why the GOP lost the majority over the Iraq war.
Democrats expressed their frustration with McCarthy’s delay tactic on the House chamber and on Twitter as well.
“If McCarthy’s ‘one minute’ speech is magic, please saw me in half and put me out of my misery,” Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) tweeted.
If McCarthy’s “one minute” speech is magic, please saw me in half and put me out of my misery.
— Rep. Andy Levin (@RepAndyLevin) November 19, 2021
“Andy, we need you to vote first,” Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) replied.
“Mondaire: If I’m sawed in half, maybe I get two votes!” Levin joked.
Passage of the social spending package has been delayed for months due to divisions among Democrats over process and the size of the sprawling bill, which currently includes provisions such as funding for universal free preschool, expansion of Medicare benefits to negotiate the price of certain prescription drugs and four weeks of paid family leave.
Democrats moved swiftly to take up the bill on Thursday after months of delays due to divisions among Democrats over the process and the size of the sprawling bill, which includes provisions such as funding for universal free preschool, expansion of Medicare benefits to negotiate the price of certain prescription drugs and four weeks of paid family leave.
Watch McCarthy’s speech live below:
