Ted Cruz Filibuster Speech Lasts Over 21 Hours

On Tuesday (Sept. 24), U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) took action on the Senate floor with a filibuster against President Obama's health care law, also known as Obamacare. Senator Cruz wanted to continue funding the government and to defund Obamacare, which he believes hurts the American people.

Today, the U.S. Senate voted 100-0 to stop a hurdle toward passing a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown in six days.

During Cruz's speech, that lasted 21 hours and 19 minutes, he said, "No American wants a government shutdown. I don't want a government shutdown. No one on this side of the aisle wants a government shutdown. The House of Representatives doesn't want a government shutdown. Mr. President, five minutes ago the Senate could have acted to prevent a government shutdown. The request that I promulgated to the Majority Leader was to pass the Continuing Resolution that the House of Representatives passed. And if that had happened, there would be no government shutdown."

Cruz continued: "If it is the Majority Leader's intent to fund Obamacare using just 51 votes, then I would submit to every Republican in this body it is our obligation to our constituents to do everything we can to prevent the Majority Leader from funding Obamacare with just 51 votes. Any member of this body that votes for cloture on this bill will be voting to allow the Majority Leader to fund Obamacare on 51 votes. I think that vote's a mistake. I think that vote disserves our constituents. I think that vote hurts the people of America."