10 Dems Join GOP To Censure Rep. Al Green For Heckling Trump

On Thursday, the GOP-led House censured Rep. Al Green (D-TX) in a bipartisan fashion for his outburst during President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night that led to the Democrat being removed from the House chamber.

Ten Democrats joined with 214 Republicans in voting to pass the censure resolution. Two Democrats also voted “present.” The final vote was 224-198-2.

The Democrats who voted “yes” included: Reps. Ami Bera (D-CA), Ed Case (D-HI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jim Himes (D-CT), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), and Tom Suozzi (D-NY). Green and Rep. Shomari Figures (D-AL) voted “present.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) called Green to present himself to the well of the House chamber for pronouncement of the censure, but another disruption ensued. A group of Democrats stood in the well with Green and sang “We Shall Overcome” while Johnson slammed his gavel and called for the House to “come to order.” Johnson ultimately announced the House would stand in recess.

U.S. House censures @RepAlGreen for his conduct during President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, 224-198-2. pic.twitter.com/KTFxsbow77

— CSPAN (@cspan) March 6, 2025

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) announced in a post on X that he would be taking action against each of the Democrats who “broke decorum” during the censure. “I am drafting privileged resolutions to remove each of them from their committees. If you want to act like a child in the Halls of Congress, you will be treated like a child,” he said.

Early in Trump’s address on Tuesday, Green stood and shouted, leading to a pause in the remarks and Johnson demanding that members “uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions.” However, Green ignored the warning and yelled, “You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!” — a program that Trump has said he has no intention of touching. Johnson then ordered the House sergeant at arms to remove Green.

Speaker Mike Johnson ordered Rep. Al Green to be escorted out from the House chamber after interrupting President Trump several times. pic.twitter.com/EDDwfsp703

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) March 5, 2025

“Rep. Al Green’s shameful and egregious behavior during President Trump’s Joint Address disgraced the institution of Congress and the constituents he serves. Despite my repeated warnings, he refused to cease his antics and I was forced to remove him from the chamber,” Johnson said in a post to X. “He deliberately violated House rules, and an expeditious vote of censure is an appropriate remedy. Any Democrat who is concerned about regaining the trust and respect of the American people should join House Republicans in this effort.”

On Wednesday, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced a privileged censure resolution against Green, forcing House leadership to act upon the measure within two legislative days. The resolution faults Green over a “breach of proper conduct” and having to “be removed from the chamber by the Sergeant at Arms” after “numerous disruptions.”

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) offered a motion to block the censure resolution that was then defeated by a 211-209-1 vote.

Green, who has filed multiple articles of impeachment against Trump over the years, told reporters that he was “willing to suffer whatever punishment” for disrupting the president’s speech to Congress and insisted that it was “worth it” to raise awareness about what Republicans may do to safety-net programs. As members debated the censure resolution, Green shook hands with Newhouse and in an explanation of his antics during Trump’s speech said he would “do it again,” according to C-SPAN’s Craig Caplan.

Throughout history, 28 House members have been censured, which is a formal rebuke and a less severe form of punishment than expulsion. Former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) faced the last one over a fire alarm incident.