WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon is staging a marathon speech on the Senate floor to protest President Donald Trump’s “tightening authoritarian grip on the country” amid the government shutdown .

Merkley started speaking at 6:21 p.m. Tuesday evening and was still going more than 17 hours later, pausing only for occasional questions from other Democratic senators.

The lengthy speech comes as Democrats have forced the government shutdown over their demands to extend government health care subsidies, and as Republicans have refused to negotiate over the expiring tax credits until Democrats vote to reopen the government. Democrats have voted 11 times to keep it closed — with a 12th vote scheduled on Wednesday — and the two sides have made little progress toward a re

See Full Page