Schumer to Stall Trump ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ with Marathon Senate Reading

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is preparing to deliver a major procedural blow to Republicans by delaying the passage of President Donald Trump’s sweeping new legislation, what he’s called his “big, beautiful bill,” by insisting the entire text be read aloud before debate can even begin.

In a move meant to stall momentum, Schumer will require Senate clerks to read the entirety of the 940-page Republican bill on the Senate floor following a key procedural vote to open debate, extending the process significantly.

“I will object to Republicans moving forward on their Big, Ugly Bill without reading it on the Senate floor,” Schumer posted on X. “Republicans won’t tell America what’s in the bill. So Democrats are forcing it to be read start to finish on the floor. We will be here all night if that’s what it takes to read it.”

As reporters gathered outside the Capitol, staffers were seen wheeling printed copies of the legislation into the chamber, preparing for what could be a 15-hour reading marathon. Schumer’s maneuver aims to give Democrats additional time to digest the details of the massive proposal. Despite the delay, Republicans remain intent on driving the bill to a final vote.

Once the bill has been fully read, the Senate will enter a 20-hour debate period, with time divided equally between the two parties. Democrats are expected to use their full ten hours, while GOP members plan to wrap up their remarks more quickly.

Following debate, the Senate will proceed to a “vote-a-rama” session, during which any senator can propose an unlimited number of amendments to the legislation.

During this phase, Democrats are expected to continue their efforts to slow down the process, while some Republican senators still hope to revise specific provisions,especially those affecting Medicaid and federal land sales, that remain contentious.

The tactic of forcing a bill to be read in full isn’t new. In 2021, Republican Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., employed the same delay strategy when Democrats controlled the Senate and were pushing through the American Rescue Plan under President Joe Biden. At the time, Schumer opposed the reading requirement.

Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on Saturday with sharp criticism of the legislation, joining those on the right and left who are voicing concern about the bill’s implications.

“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country,” Musk posted on X. “It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”