Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) urged his colleagues to oppose Betsy DeVos, President Trump's pick to lead the Education Department, arguing she would not hold the line on civil rights.

"There is a role for the federal government to protect our children," he said, speaking about the Office for Civil Rights. "I believe if we take these matters seriously that we could ensure that this kind of bullying and harassment will come to an end in America."

Booker added that the office is "profoundly important" for a number of issues including the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students and students with disabilities, and on prosecuting claims of campus sexual assault.

"Instead of taking that opportunity, instead of seizing the moment to talk about what she would be doing to lead, she actually denied a role to the federal government," Booker said, referring to DeVos's statement on students with disabilities.

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Booker — who is drawing early 2020 White House speculation — said he's worried that beyond stopping current investigations under the Office of Civil Rights, DeVos "might shrink that office."

"What we heard was a belief that states can figure it out," he said. "[It] was a failure to commit to even the most basic continence of the office of civil rights."

Democrats are holding a 24-hour talkathon to protest DeVos's nomination ahead of a final vote expected to take place Tuesday. Republicans are poised to bring in Vice President Pence to break a likely 50-50 tie on the pick.

Booker added that DeVos missed an opportunity during her hearing to "allay the fears" of LGBTQ students and pledge to use the department's resources to investigate harassment and bullying.

"I feel a personal responsibility to ensure that if I cast my vote as a senator, that whoever takes that office will be tireless in the defense of all the rights and liberties of our students," he said.

Booker packed his speech with references, citing a Langston Hughes poem, as well as a Norman Rockwell painting that depicts civil rights icon Rudy Bridges walking to an all-white school when she was 6 years old.

"I can't stand here today without recognizing that's my history, that's your history, that's all of our history," he said. "That the federal government has a role to play."

Democratic senators, while not on the floor, echoed their support for Booker's speech on Twitter.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), who is scheduled to speak around 2 a.m., urged his followers to turn on C-SPAN to watch the speech.