Update 4/1/25 8:05 PM ET:
In a historic moment, as of 7:19 PM ET, Senator Cory Booker has broken the decades-long filibuster record from late Senator Strom Thurmond in his racist filibuster against the Civil Rights Act of 1957. He yielded the Senate floor at 8:05 PM ET after almost 25 hours of remarks from the senator from New Jersey and questions from his colleagues, just as his live on Tik Tok hit 400 million likes! Immediately upon his yielding, Sen. Booker was met with a standing ovation, after which he thanked the pages, interns, parliamentary staff, his colleagues, and all who supported him during his filibuster. Immediately following his filibuster, the Senate continued with the hearing to confirm Matt Whitaker as the ambassador to NATO.
Thank you to the senator from New Jersey, Sen. Cory Booker and his incredible team for their sacrifices and hard work leading up to and working through this moment.
Update 4/1/25 4:56 PM ET:
We have seen some reporting stating this is not a filibuster.
We disagree.
A filibuster is intended to be disruptive. If the intent is to be disruptive to business as usual, then the actions Sen. Cory Booker and his colleagues who have joined him with inquisitive protest have taken is indeed a filibuster.
Here’s more on why we believe this is a historic moment, regardless of what it is being called.
@tiffanielanelle Oh Sen. Cory Booker Call it whatever you want, I’m calling it brave and historic. #politics #policy #political #commentary #news #senate #filibuster ♬ About Damn Time – Lizzo
Original 4/1/25 10 AM ET:
On March 31, 2025, at 7 p.m., Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey initiated a filibuster on the Senate floor. His continuous speech, which has extended beyond 12 hours, aims to protest what he describes as the “grave and urgent” dangers posed by President Donald Trump’s administration. Senator Booker has criticized policies such as budget cuts, efforts to abolish the Department of Education, and actions perceived as undermining democratic institutions. While previous filibusters have included book reading and other sometimes unrelated readings, Sen. Booker and his team put together a binder of relevant and poignant readings while walking through the policies currently harming and with the potential to harm Americans.
A filibuster is a tactic used in the U.S. Senate to delay or block legislative action by extending debate on a proposal. Senators employing this strategy can deliver prolonged speeches, introduce numerous amendments, or utilize other means to prevent a vote. The term “filibuster” originates from a Dutch word meaning “freebooter” or pirate, reflecting its disruptive nature.
By engaging in this extended discourse, Senator Booker seeks to draw national attention to concerns about the administration’s direction and its impact on American democracy. His filibuster underscores the use of this Senate procedure as a form of political protest and a means to highlight critical issues facing the nation.
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