Senator Jeff Merkley Ends 22-Hour Marathon Speech Against Trump Agenda. Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon has wrapped up a record-breaking, 22-and-a-half-hour speech protesting President Donald Trump's policies — delivered on the 22nd day of the ongoing government shutdown. Merkley accused the president of acting like a "king" who ignores the law, urging Congress to push back. His speech now ranks among the longest in Senate history, surpassing Oregon's former Senator Wayne Morse, who spoke for 22 hours in 1953. Merkley becomes the third Democrat this year to stage a marathon floor speech, following Senators Cory Booker and Hakeem Jeffries, both of whom used lengthy addresses to challenge Republican legislation. With Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress, Democrats have few tools to resist Trump's agenda but marathon speeches and procedural delays have become their way of keeping the spotlight on key issues as the shutdown continues. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT