Ted Cruz ends all-night Obamacare filibuster on Senate floor (VIDEOS)

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz pulled an all-nighter in his crusade to defund Obamacare, speaking for more than 21 hours before taking a seat.

His speech lasted 21 hours and 19 minutes — one of the longest in Senate history.

Armed with black tennis shoes and quoting Dr. Seuss, Cruz said, "I will say standing here after 14 hours, standing on your feet, there's sometimes some pain, sometimes some fatigue that is involved."

"But you know what? There's far more pain involved in rolling over…far more pain in hiding in the shadows, far more pain in not standing for principle, not standing for the good, not standing for integrity," he said Wednesday morning.

Vowing to speak "until I can no longer stand," Cruz launched the Senate filibuster Tuesday afternoon.

"I rise today in opposition to Obamacare," Cruz said as he began his remarks, adding he was speaking on behalf of millions of Texans and Americans opposed to President Barack Obama's health care reform law.

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"A great many Texans, a great many Americans feel they do not have a voice, and so I hope to play some very small role in providing the voice," he said.

The freshman senator is speaking out against plans by Senate Democrats to pass a House resolution funding the federal government without a clause that would defund Obamacare.

The resolution passed the GOP-led House last week.

The federal government will shut down on Oct. 1 if Congress doesn't approve some form of funding measure.

Republicans have argued that Obamacare will harm the economy by raising health care costs and forcing employer mandates, and argue it should be stripped of funding to save money.