On the floor of the House of Representatives, speaking time is allotted in minutes. A member who controls the time gives some of it to others: “I yield two minutes to the gentleman from California.” Unused time is handed back: “I yield back the balance of my time.” When the time runs out, the chair announces that it has expired.
A member who has yielded time to someone can take it back with the words “Reclaiming my time.” On July 27, 2017, Representative Maxine Waters used the phrase repeatedly while questioning Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The video spread widely, and the phrase became a popular saying.