U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks after U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA) was re-elected as Speaker of the House on the first day of the 119th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has been speaking on the House floor for over three hours as part of a last-minute desperate effort to delay passage of the 2026 budget bill.
What President Donald Trump calls the "big, beautiful bill," will likely be passed after Jeffries cedes the floor. The White House had a bill signing ceremony scheduled for Friday morning at 9 a.m. However, as Jeffries continues to speak, Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman said that the ceremony has been pushed back to 5 p.m.
Members of Congress generally return home for Independence Day parades and other events in their districts, but Trump's ceremony will keep them in D.C. for the full July 4 holiday, according to the new reporting.
