House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made history Wednesday by delivering the longest floor speech in the chamber’s history.
Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, spoke for more than seven hours — she began at 10:05 a.m. and was still going at 6 p.m. — to protest a two-year spending deal struck by Senate leaders.
The House historian said it was the longest floor speech on record.
She vowed to keep talking until House Speaker Paul D. Ryan guaranteed an open debate on an immigration bill.
Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, has said he will only take up a bill that the president would be willing to sign.
For most of her remarks, Mrs. Pelosi read letters and testimonials from “Dreamers,” the illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors and are at the center of Congress’ immigration debate.
“Am I not lucky to become familiar with so many beautiful Dreamers,” said Mrs. Pelosi, adding that it would be a travesty to send them out of the country.
Democrats want legal status for Dreamers, who will lose protection when the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA expires March 5.
But they have resisted President Trump’s call for more border security and tighter immigration laws in exchange for putting 1.8 million Dreamers on a path to citizenship.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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