In one of the most surreal moments of this legislative season, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) brought a stuffed Elmo doll onto the House floor Thursday, using the beloved Sesame Street character to condemn Republican-led budget cuts that Democrats say target essential children’s programming.
“Today, we are on the floor of the House of Representatives debating legislation that targets Elmo. And Big Bird. And Daniel Tiger and Sesame Street,” Jeffries declared, waving the plush puppet during a debate on the GOP-backed budget rescissions package, as reported by Fox News.
The bill, which passed the House, aims to slash over $9 billion in unspent or low-priority federal funds. Republicans defended it as a necessary step toward fiscal responsibility. But Democrats accused them of using budget cuts as a smokescreen for gutting social and educational programs.
“While you all have killed off Elmo, I urge my colleagues to vote no on this trash and I yield back,” said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), adding dramatic flair to the floor debate. Democrats’ use of puppets and pop culture references to protest the bill quickly went viral, sparking a flood of memes and ridicule from the other side of the aisle, CBS News reported.
“I never realized Elmo was more important to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle than the American people,” Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) responded, dismissing the demonstration as unserious. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) also weighed in: “The Minority Leader held up a Sesame Street character here on the floor as if Sesame Street’s somehow going to go away.”
On social media, conservative commentators joined in mocking the display. “Hakeem Jeffries brought his emotional support Elmo to work today,” wrote TikTok personality and former RFK Jr. advisor Link Lauren on X.. “How nice!” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) chimed in, posting a flaming Elmo GIF alongside her comment: “Hakeem Jeffries invokes Elmo while he complains about spending cuts.”
Meanwhile, Conor Coutts, a communications manager for the conservative Daily Caller, summarized what he described as a chaotic 24 hours for Democrats: “Dems are having an INSANE 24 hours. Stacey Plaskett talked about her lady parts in detail on X. Alex Padilla was handcuffed after heckling Kristi Noem.
John Mannion screamed obscenities at a colleague on the House floor. Hakeem Jeffries held up an Elmo toy during a floor speech.” Despite the theatrics, the bill now moves to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain.