The House will vote this week on a resolution from Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) to censure Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) for his outburst at President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.
Newhouse introduced the resolution and moved to force a vote on it Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Green’s disruptive protest. Because the resolution is privileged, leadership has two legislative days to move on the formal reprimand, and the House is scheduled to leave town after Thursday.
The resolution reads: “Whereas, the conduct of the Representative from Texas disrupted the proceedings of the joint address and was a breach of proper conduct; and whereas, after numerous disruptions the representative from Texas had to be removed from the chamber by the Sergeant-at-arms; Now, therefore, be it resolved that Representative Al Green be censured.”
The Washington congressman’s effort has the backing of House GOP leadership, apparently winning out over two alternative measures to censure Green that were being crafted by Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.) and the House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas).
“I believe this is the first one outta the gate,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told a NOTUS reporter of Newhouse’s resolution.
Newhouse acknowledged there were many people interested in leading such a resolution, but told reporters he was the first to approach the Speaker about it.
And Newhouse dismissed the notion that the move was aimed at improving his relationship with Trump and his allies, given he is one of two House Republicans remaining in Congress who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
“I don’t see how that would work at all,” Newhouse said. “This is about the House of Representatives, Congress and respecting the rules of decorum that we have.”
A House censure is a formal reprimand taken by a vote of the House but does not typically carry consequences beyond having the member stand in the well of the House as the resolution detailing their transgressions is read aloud. Censure has become more common in recent years, with House Republicans in the last Congress censuring Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and then-Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.).
The House issued a reprimand, a less severe rebuke than a censure, to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) for an outburst at former President Obama’s 2009 address to Congress when he yelled, “You lie!”
Wilson’s outburst now looks tame compared to the protests that have escalated at presidential addresses.
Green’s protest — and ultimate removal — played out within the first few minutes of Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, the first of his second term.
When Trump was discussing the “mandate” he received from voters in November, Green stood up and yelled back at the president, arguing he did not have a mandate to cut Medicaid. The social safety net program has emerged as a key issue this Congress, with Republicans eyeing cuts to it through their sprawling border, energy and tax cuts package.
When Green started yelling at Trump, chants of “U.S.A.” rang out on the Republican side of the chamber.
Johnson, sitting on the dais next to Vice President Vance, gave Green a warning, telling him to “take your seat.” Green, however, continued his protest, and shortly after, Johnson ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove him from the chamber. Republicans sang “hey, hey, hey, goodbye,” as the Texas Democrat made his way off the House floor.
Green later told reporters he was “making it clear to the president that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid.”
“I have people who are very fearful. These are poor people, and they all need Medicaid in their lives when it comes to their health care,” he added.
It remains unclear if any Democrats will join the GOP’s censure effort. At least one Senate Democrat criticized his behavior Tuesday night.
“I think it’s counterproductive,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told The Hill. “I think to stand up and say, you know, he doesn’t have a mandate to cut Medicare, fine, but I think he — I think it went beyond decorum.”
