Lawmaker Nods Off as Budget Hearing Drags On \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, briefly fell asleep during a 17-hour budget markup hearing early Tuesday morning, prompting a viral video of his colleague waking him to vote. The moment occurred just before 5 a.m. as the House Ways and Means Committee slogged through a lengthy amendment roll call. Several lawmakers were caught dozing during the grueling overnight hearings.
Quick Looks
- Rep. Blake Moore nodded off around 5 a.m. during roll call.
- Rep. Michelle Fischbach gently woke him to cast his vote.
- Moore laughed, voted no, and exchanged whispers with Fischbach.
- Clip from C-SPAN went viral across social media platforms.
- The committee had been working since 2 p.m. the previous day.
- Reps. Debbie Dingell and Jan Schakowsky also caught sleeping during a separate hearing.
- Ways and Means Committee wrapped its session just before 8 a.m. Wednesday.
- Energy and Commerce Committee continued into Wednesday afternoon.
- The hearings were part of debate on Trump’s reconciliation bill.
- Viral moment reflects the exhaustion of marathon legislative sessions.
Deep Look
Marathon Hearings, Sleepy Lawmakers, and a Viral Moment: Inside Rep. Blake Moore’s Unexpected Nap on Capitol Hill
In the unforgiving hours before dawn on Tuesday morning, the House Ways and Means Committee was grinding through its 17th hour of debate. Sleep-deprived and caffeine-fueled, lawmakers sat slumped over their desks, surrounded by towering stacks of paper and lukewarm coffee. As the clerk began calling the roll on a Democratic amendment, the chamber went momentarily silent—until it became clear one lawmaker wasn’t just quiet. He was asleep.
That lawmaker was Rep. Blake Moore, a Republican from Utah, who had dozed off at his desk. C-SPAN’s cameras caught the moment, and the viral clip that followed—showing Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., gently shaking Moore awake—offered a rare, humanizing glimpse into the physical toll of congressional marathons.
Moore chuckled as he stirred, cast his vote with a sleepy grin, and exchanged a few whispered words with Fischbach. For a moment, amid a marathon policy session centered on President Donald Trump’s massive reconciliation bill, the halls of Congress felt oddly relatable to millions of sleep-deprived viewers across the internet.
Congressional Marathons: Politics by Endurance
The hearing had begun at 2 p.m. Monday afternoon and would not conclude until nearly 8 a.m. Wednesday—a grueling stretch reflective of the high-stakes nature of Trump’s sweeping budget proposal. These late-night legislative sessions are often necessary to meet procedural deadlines, particularly when committees are tasked with dissecting and contributing to sprawling omnibus packages like the current budget reconciliation bill.
For committee members like Moore, such hearings involve hours of deliberation, back-and-forth debate, and hundreds of amendments. Fatigue isn’t just expected—it’s inevitable.
“It was 5 a.m.,” one staffer said off-record. “If you didn’t fall asleep at some point, you’re superhuman.”
Moore’s Nap Joins a Long Tradition of Sleepy Senators
Rep. Moore isn’t the first—and certainly won’t be the last—member of Congress to be caught in a moment of involuntary shut-eye. Legislative fatigue is almost a rite of passage on Capitol Hill. During high-stakes debates and budget fights, it’s not uncommon to see lawmakers napping on couches, leaning on desks, or briefly closing their eyes between votes.
But in the digital age, what used to be overlooked or politely ignored now becomes viral content. Moore’s nap exploded across X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok within hours. Some users turned it into a meme, others sympathized.
“He’s working like the rest of us—overworked and underslept,” one user posted. Another joked, “The only thing more tired than Congress is our democracy.”
Not an Isolated Incident: Lawmakers Across Committees Caught Snoozing
Moore wasn’t alone. At the same time, the Energy and Commerce Committee was conducting its own overnight markup session. Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., were also filmed nodding off during their panel’s long slog.
These back-to-back committee marathons have reignited discussions about the effectiveness—and health consequences—of such all-night legislative battles. Critics argue that sleepy lawmakers aren’t exactly in the best position to make major decisions affecting national policy and funding.
An Inside Look at the Budget Push
The sleepy session was part of an intense markup process as House Republicans and Democrats debated their respective priorities within Trump’s budget reconciliation plan. For the Ways and Means Committee, that meant dealing with tax provisions, funding allocations, and health-related programs—many of which have sharp partisan divides.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, working concurrently, was focused on healthcare regulation, energy investments, and environmental oversight. With Republicans seeking major rollbacks in federal spending and Democrats defending entitlement programs, every line-item sparked fierce negotiation.
By Wednesday afternoon, both committees had either wrapped up or were nearing the finish line—though not without casualties in the form of napping lawmakers and social media ridicule.
Moore Responds With Humor and Grace
While some viral moments spark political backlash or embarrassment, Rep. Moore handled the moment with self-deprecating humor. In an informal hallway chat with reporters, he reportedly laughed off the incident and chalked it up to the “realities of working through the night for the American people.”
“Let’s be honest,” one Capitol Hill aide remarked. “He stayed awake for more than 16 hours. He closed his eyes for five seconds, and now he’s the face of overnight legislation.”
A Broader Reflection on Congressional Culture
Beyond the laughs, Moore’s moment invites a more serious reflection on how Congress works—and whether it should keep working this way. These all-nighters often reflect a culture that values appearances of grit and endurance over thoughtful pacing or policy comprehension.
There’s growing momentum among good governance advocates who argue for reforms such as time-limited sessions, structured breaks, and greater transparency about legislative schedules. While there’s little political will to change long-standing practices, Moore’s nap has inadvertently fueled that debate.
Conclusion: A Viral Moment That Captures the Exhaustion of Governance
Rep. Blake Moore’s unintentional nap may have only lasted seconds, but the viral clip captured the spirit of a legislative system pushed to its physical limits. As lawmakers balance public service with brutal hours, the image of a congressman gently shaken awake by a colleague has come to symbolize both the absurdity and humanity of Washington.
In a week dominated by budget battles, bitter debates, and partisan divides, a sleepy smile reminded Americans that behind every law passed, there’s often a long night behind it—sometimes with a nap in between.
Lawmaker Nods Off Lawmaker Nods Off Lawmaker Nods Off Lawmaker Nods Off
