Not a single Republican voted for the behemoth Build Back Better Act on Friday after House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) delivered a record-setting eight hour-long speech.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) passed the mammoth $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act on partisan lines, with bipartisan support against the legislation.
Republicans unanimously voted against the legislation Friday morning, and even Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), a swing district Democrat, voted against the bill.
The legislation serves as a massive expansion of social welfare and climate change programs; the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that it would add $750 billion to the deficit over five years.
Republicans’ unanimity followed after McCarthy finished an eight hour and forty-two minute speech against the Democrats’ Build Back Better agenda. He finished his speech at 5:11 A.M. Eastern.
McCarthy’s address, which broke Pelosi’s eight hour record, blocked Democrats from passing the Build Back Better Act Thursday evening.
McCarthy continued his speech despite heckling and interruptions from frustrated Democrats.
McCarthy employed the “magic minute” House floor procedure, which allows House leaders such as McCarthy and Pelosi to speak unabated until they finish speaking.
During his time, McCarthy lashed in to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats. McCarthy blasted the crisis of crises facing the country, including soaring inflation, the supply chain disruptions, and the botched Afghanistan withdrawal.
“This is the single most reckless and irresponsible spending in the history of this country,” McCarthy said, as Democrats prepare to vote on the mammoth Build Back Better Act.
The speech frequently garnered loud applause from Republican members, and strong support from Republicans across the spectrum.
The Republican leader said that the issues facing America arise from the fact that the legislative and executive branch are solely controlled by the Democrat Party.
“Do you know what the common denominator is? One party rule for one year,” McCarthy said.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
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