Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, received a censure from the House on Thursday. This action was taken following Green’s protest on Tuesday during President Trump’s address to Congress.
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
The House of Representatives voted 224-198 to censure Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, for his protest on the House floor during President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
Al Green becomes the 28th member of Congress to be censured, marking one of the most serious methods for reprimanding a lawmaker. Nonetheless, those who are censured retain their rights and privileges.
The Texas Democrat began to shout at the president during his speech, claiming that Trump lacked a mandate from the American populace. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., cautioned Green to stop and requested order in the chamber.
Green persisted and was ultimately removed from the chamber.
Ten Democrats joined their Republican counterparts in voting for the censure of Green. He stood in the well of the chamber alongside fellow Democrats, who began singing, “We shall overcome.”
Once a rare form of reprimand, the practice of censuring lawmakers has become more common in recent years. Since 2021, five members, predominantly Democrats, have been censured.
On Wednesday evening, Green told reporters at the Capitol he “would do it again.”
After shaking hands with Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., who sponsored the censure measure, Green stated that his actions were not driven “out of a burst of emotion.”
“The president suggested he had a mandate. I addressed the president directly, asserting he does not hold a mandate to curtail Medicaid. My constituents rely on Medicaid, their well-being is at stake, and some may not survive without it,” he remarked. “I was aware of the Speaker’s request for me to cease, but I did not comply, and I did so intentionally.”
Green continued: “On certain significant matters, reliant on one’s conscience, one must be prepared to face the repercussions. I have made it clear that I will do so.”
Democrats are divided on how to counter Trump
The censure serves as a recent illustration of the internal struggles within the Democratic Party regarding a unified strategy to challenge the Trump administration.
Party leadership encouraged their members prior to the address to embody a dignified and somber demeanor while in the chamber during Trump’s speech.
However, some members, prompted by supporters demanding more proactive measures from the opposition, are demonstrating a preference for bold actions that capture significant social media engagement.
Green’s early removal from the chamber, along with other Democrats booing, displaying signs condemning Trump and his advisor Elon Musk, and various members exiting the speech wearing T-shirts stating “resist,” highlights the tense environment.
Others contend that making headlines detracts from focusing on GOP policies and the constituents affected.
In a letter sent to House Democrats on Monday, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., underscored the importance of this focus.
“It is vital that we maintain a strong, determined, and dignified Democratic presence in the chamber,” Jeffries noted. “The House, as an institution, belongs to the American people, and as their representatives, we will not be pushed around or intimidated.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., who supported the censure motion, expressed on X that Democrats require a more effective strategy.
“Both parties must hold themselves to the same standards we anticipate from the opposition,” he stated. “I have strong objections to many actions the President has taken and his remarks from the other night, but the cycle of retaliation is ineffective.”
Suozzi is perceived by some within his party as a model for how Democrats can secure victories in closely contested Republican districts. He successfully won a special election to replace former Rep. George Santos after the Republican was expelled from the House and maintained the seat in the general election while emphasizing support for abortion rights, enhanced border security, and backing for Israel.
A question of decorum
Newhouse remarked that throughout his nearly ten years in Congress, he has never witnessed the Speaker instruct the sergeant-at-arms to remove a member.
“This is not a personal issue regarding Mr. Green, who is quite a friendly individual, but as members of this institution, we must temper our rhetoric, control our emotions, and conduct ourselves in a manner that earns the respect of not only those in this room but across the nation,” Newhouse stated during his remarks on the House floor Wednesday night.
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., criticized the GOP’s response to Green as “selective outrage,” and noted instances when Republican members of the House heckled former President Joe Biden.
“I recall observing an entire heckling session from the Republican side, yet we didn’t demand the removal of those members,” McGovern recounted. “Where were my Republican colleagues? No one apologized for interrupting Biden time and again; if you want to talk about a lack of decorum, look back at the footage and see the silence from the Republican side.”
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., who supported the censure, labeled it a “regrettable circumstance — not something we take pleasure in at all.”
“I’ve been disheartened over the years by outbursts originating from this chamber, regardless of who the president is. I know there have been members from my side who have participated,” he said Wednesday night.
“I regard Mr. Green as a friend, at least as an acquaintance. While we don’t often interact or serve on the same committees, we exchange pleasantries in the hallways. I appreciate him,” he continued. “I’ve had presidents whose rhetoric or policies I have vehemently disagreed with, and I believe they’ve been quite damaging to the nation. But that’s not how we conduct ourselves. One cannot completely disrupt the functions of this chamber during a State of the Union address for the sake of personal theatrics.”
Elena Moore contributed to this report
