Sen. Cory Booker set a new U.S. Senate record with a 25-hour, 5-minute speech, which is considered the longest ever on the U.S. Senate floor. The New Jersey Democrat surpassed the 1957 record set by Sen. Strom Thurmond, who filibustered against the Civil Rights Act.
Unlike Thurmond’s obstructionist stand, Booker’s speech took aim at several of Donald Trump’s policies, particularly those impacting women and undocumented immigrants, as reported by PEOPLE.
“I just want to ask you a question, do you know you have just broken the record?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked Booker when he passed the 24-hour, 18-minute mark. “Do you know how proud this caucus is of you? Do you know how proud America is of you?”
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Sen. Booker became emotional as fellow lawmakers applauded his record-breaking 25-hour speech.
While not a formal filibuster, the address, which began on March 31 at 7 p.m. ET, marked a significant moment in his Senate tenure since joining in 2013. Sen. Booker vowed to speak “for as long as I am physically able” as he took the Senate floor.
His office confirmed he prepared 1,164 pages of material. He earlier hinted that his intent was not to break Thurmond’s record but to deliver his message regardless of its length.
He continued, “I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful.”
Afterward, Booker told reporters that he thought about Thurmond’s record-breaking speech since he began his first term, calling it a “strange shadow to hang over this institution,” per the Associated Press.
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Sen. Booker invoked the legacy of the late Civil Rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis, who he said fought “when this country was facing crossroads, was facing crises, they stood up.”
“I rise today in an unusual manner,” Booker said, before quoting Lewis’ famous phrase to “get in good trouble, necessary trouble, help redeem the soul of America.”
“Tonight, I rise with the intention of getting in some good trouble. I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis,” Booker continued. “These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such.”
“You think we got civil rights one day because Strom Thurmond — after filibustering for 24 hours — you think we got civil rights because he came to the floor one day and said, ‘I’ve seen the light,’ ” Booker said at another point in his speech. “No, we got civil rights because people marched for it, sweat for it and John Lewis bled for it.”
During his historic 25-hour Senate speech, Sen. Booker urged Democrats to protect vulnerable Americans from mass deportations, federal job cuts, Medicaid threats, and trade war fallout.
His remarks were supported by key Democratic senators, including Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, while members of the Congressional Black Caucus observed.
