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Nancy Pelosi told DREAMer stories for more than 8 hours on the House floor

The California Democrat followed her surprise announcement that she would oppose a budget deal to avert a government shutdown with a talk-a-thon to protest congressional inaction on legislation to protect DREAMers.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 31: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) talks to reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 31, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi began speaking on the House floor at 10:04 a.m. Wednesday.

And she didn't stop until after 6 p.m.

The California Democrat followed her surprise announcement that she would oppose a budget deal to avert a government shutdown with a talk-a-thon to protest congressional inaction on legislation to protect DREAMers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States when they were children.

While Pelosi held the floor for hours, it wasn't a filibuster. That move is used in the Senate to delay or block legislation, and there isn't a House equivalent.

She used her unlimited, "magic" minute, available in the House only to party leaders, to speak for eight hours, reading story after emotional story about DREAMers who aspire to become U.S. citizens. She also included remarks about the Declaration of Independence, the country's founders. At one point, she suggested lawmakers should "just pray all day."

"Maybe I should bring my rosary, blessed by the Pope," said Pelosi, who is Catholic.

Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said it was unclear how long Pelosi would go on for, but she had water to keep her hydrated.

While Pelosi applauded parts of the budget deal, she said it did nothing to advance bipartisan legislation to protect DREAMers. Their status has been in jeopardy since the Trump administration announced in September it would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Obama-era initiative that has protected nearly 800,000 of them from deportation. Trump gave Congress until March to come up with a legislative fix.

She called on House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to guarantee a vote on DREAMer legislation, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., did in the Senate.

Contributing: Jessica Estepa

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