Democratic Sen. Merkley of Oregon speaks for more than 22 hours to protest Trump amid shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Led by Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, Democrats seized the Senate floor on Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump’s presidency amid the government shutdown and to push for Republicans to negotiate with them on expiring health subsidies.

Merkley spoke for more than 22 hours — from 6:21 p.m. Tuesday to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday — pausing only for lengthy questions from other Democratic senators. His speech ranks among the longest in Senate history, just short of a similar marathon speech in April by Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. Booker, who was also protesting Trump, set the record for the longest continuous Senate speech by going for more than 25 hours, surpassing a 1957 speech by Sen. Strom Thurmond of South Carolina. Thurmond’s speech was a filibuster against the advancement of the Civil Rights Act.

The senator’s talk-a-thon came as Democrats have forced the government shutdown over their demands to extend government health care subsidies. Republicans, meanwhile, have refused to negotiate over the expiring tax credits until Democrats agree to reopen the government. Democrats have voted 12 times to keep the government closed — most recently on Wednesday evening — with little progress toward a resolution.

On the Senate floor, Merkley accused Republicans of shutting down the government “to continue the strategy of slashing Americans’ health care,” citing cuts to Medicaid and other programs that were passed over the summer.

Merkley devoted several hours of his speech to outlining what he described as Trump’s authoritarian moves. These included attacks on the press and policies that Democrats say enrich billionaires at the expense of regular people. He argued that Trump’s plan is to replace a government “by and for the people with a government by and for the powerful.”

As he wrapped up his speech, Merkley warned that authoritarianism “is not around the corner,” but “here right now.”

This was not Merkley’s first lengthy floor speech. In 2017, he spoke for more than 15 hours to protest Trump’s nomination of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. Like Booker’s speech, Merkley’s was not a filibuster, which is intended to halt or delay a specific piece of legislation.

By holding the floor open overnight, Merkley forced Senate floor staff, security, and other support workers—who are currently unpaid due to the shutdown—to work overtime hours. The government has been shut down since October 1.

Reacting on social media, Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Senate Republican, criticized the Democrats’ actions. “The Democrats are going to make Capitol Police and Capitol support staff — who they refuse to pay — work all night so they can give speeches patting themselves on the back for shutting down the government and hurting the American people,” Barrasso posted on X Tuesday night. Immediately after Merkley’s speech, Barrasso mocked the senator and called his speech “rubbish.”

Merkley appeared tired throughout the day, telling reporters in the early afternoon that he was “starting to feel a little dazed” and later admitting that “my stamina is getting a little shaky.” Nevertheless, he continued until early evening.

Later, Merkley explained that he was able to keep going without a bathroom break or any food because of “dehydration” and not eating beforehand. At around 2:45 a.m., just a few hours in, he paused to untie his shoelace, noting that standing had “made my shoes a little tight.”

“I don’t recommend standing through the night and talking,” Merkley said. “Not a healthy pursuit. But I am standing here to ring the alarm bells.”

Merkley, who will turn 69 on Friday, used his marathon speech to draw attention to what he sees as the urgent threats posed by the current administration and the ongoing government shutdown.
https://wgntv.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-democratic-sen-merkley-of-oregon-stages-marathon-speech-to-protest-trump-amid-shutdown/

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