- Rep. Kevin McCarthy gave a rambling speech Thursday to stall a House vote on the social-spending bill.
- During the speech, McCarthy said no one elected President Joe Biden to be FDR.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could be heard cutting in to shout "I did!"
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez chimed in during House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy's more than three-hour speech on the House floor Thursday night ahead of a vote on the Democrats' social-spending bill.
During his speech, which was ongoing at the time of publication, McCarthy, a Republican from California, quoted a recent remark made by Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger.
"Nobody elected Joe Biden to be FDR," McCarthy said, referencing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and drawing a comparison between President Joe Biden's sweeping legislation and FDR's transformative New Deal.
Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat from New York, audibly shouted, "I did!"
—Ray Reed (@RayReedMO) November 19, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez also retweeted MSNBC's Kyle Griffin recounting her response to McCarthy.
The $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act is a social-spending bill that includes funds for universal preschool, child tax credits, and expansion of Medicare, among other items.
The Democrats plan to use reconciliation to pass the bill, which means it could pass without the support of any Republicans.
McCarthy's speech Thursday night delayed the vote on the bill in the House. If it passes, the bill heads to the Senate for a vote, where it could still tank if any moderate Democrats don't vote in favor.
