Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker broke a world record of the longest Senate speech on March 31, filibustering for a total of 25 hours and four minutes. The previous record was set in 1957 when Strom Thurmond filibustered the Civil Rights Act for 24 hours and 18 minutes.
Sen. Booker’s speech consisted of several discussions, however the main focus was aimed at discussing the Trump Administration.
According to AP News on April 5, Sen. Booker stated, “A gathering like this can’t be the end of our activism. This has got to be a moment in America where all of us begin to say, what more can I do?”
Former United States Vice President Kamala Harris and former 2025 Presidential nominee wrote a heartfelt post of her and Sen. Booker to her Instagram account after the speech concluded.
“The true measure of a leader is not based on who you beat down but on who you lift up,” she wrote in the caption of her post. “For over 24 hours, my friend @corybooker stood on the floor of the Senate and lifted up the voices of the American people harmed by the current administration. We must continue to fight for the best of who we are as Americans. Thank you Cory, for your leadership.”
To prepare, Sen. Booker stated he stopped drinking water and eating several days before to prepare his body for his prolonged speech. Sen. Booker stated he would continue for as long as his body was “physically able.”
According to the National Constitution Center (NCC), Sen. Booker’s speech may not qualify as a “traditional filibuster.” The senate had invoked cloture, which is the procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.
“Booker could not block or obstruct the vote on Whitaker’s nomination from happening, which is one of the key goals of any filibuster,” The NCC wrote. “His lengthy appearance may have delayed the vote, which some people could consider as meeting part of the broad Senate website definition of a filibuster.”
Image of Cory Booker speaking at the 2019 Iowa Democrats Hall of Fame Celebration in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, photo from WikiMediaCommons
At the 2019 Iowa Democrats Hall of Fame Celebration in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Sunday. June 9
