The top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, minority leader Nancy Pelosi, has made history by delivering the longest address to the chamber for at least 108 years.
She spoke for more than eight hours about protecting young undocumented migrants, known as "Dreamers", from deportation.
For more than eight hours, @NancyPelosi told the US House stories of immigrants pic.twitter.com/sw7kNEnIf8
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) February 8, 2018
The veteran California Democrat and former speaker of the house turns 78 next month.
She was speaking against a compromise federal budget deal recently announced by Senate leaders that would lift spending caps and avert a looming government shutdown, but that does not address the sensitive issue of immigration.
She said she would oppose the deal unless House Speaker Paul Ryan gave assurances that he would bring immigration legislation to the floor for a vote.
Americans "need a solution to immigration, which is long overdue," she said.
We're demanding @SpeakerRyan commit to bring up bipartisan legislation to #ProtectDREAMers. https://t.co/BGnQEsMJaY
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 7, 2018
She was not violating any rules with her record-busting speech - party leaders are allowed to use their typical one-minute addresses to the House to speak as long as they wish.
She stood for eight hours and seven minutes and consumed nothing but water, according to an aide.
She read directly from the testimonies of several immigrants known as "Dreamers" - people who arrived in the United States illegally as children but were protected from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme.
Just seeing all of these #GoNancyGo messages. Truly very moving. But let's not lose focus of who really matters here. Thank you to our #Dreamers. And thank you to your parents for allowing us all the pleasure of having you be a part of our American family every day. #DREAMActNow
— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) February 7, 2018
President Donald Trump ended the programme last September, but gave Congress several months to devise a solution.
Read more:
President Trump plans citizenship plan for 'Dreamers'
Judge blocks Trump move against 'Dreamers'
If Congress does not act by a 5 March deadline, some 1,000 immigrants per day on average could face deportation.
"Our Dreamers hang in limbo, with a cruel cloud of fear and uncertainty above them," Ms Pelosi said.
"The Republican moral cowardice must end."
