The House voted to censure Congressman Al Green in a sharp rebuke on Thursday after he was thrown out of President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress this week.
House members voted largely along party lines 224 to 198.
Ten Democrats joined their GOP colleagues to vote ‘yea’ on the resolution while two voted present.
After the vote, some Democratic lawmakers could be heard singing in the chamber ‘we shall overcome’ as Speaker Mike Johnson read out the vote.
The resolution was introduced Wednesday by GOP Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)
It came after Green, 77, was physically removed from the House floor for interrupting Trump’s speech in a remarkable disruption to a presidential address.
But ahead of the vote, Green said despite any punishment for his actions, it would have been worth it.
House votes to censure Rep. Al Green after he had to be removed from the House chamber during President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday
Just moments into giving his speech on Tuesday night, the president had to pause as shouting could be heard on the floor chamber.
The Texas Democrat had stood up from his seat and was yelling and waving his cane at Trump.
‘You have no mandate to cut healthcare,’ Green yelled.
Some lawmakers cheered as Green stood his ground while Republican lawmakers booed on Tuesday night.
Speaker Johnson who was presiding over the session eventually stepped in, knocking his gavel in an attempt to restore order in the chamber.
Green standing and shaking his cane at President Trump in protest during his address
‘Members are directed to uphold and maintain decorum in the House and to cease any further disruptions. That’s your warning,’ Johnson said as Trump waited to continue.
When Green refused to return to his seat, the House sergeant at arms removed him from the chamber.
As he was escorted away Republicans stood up and cheered.
Some GOP members sang ‘nah nah nah nah, goodbye’ while Democrats sat in silence.
Green said he was telling Trump he doesn’t have a mandate to cut Medicaid with his disruption
The Texas congressman being escorted from the chamber after his disruption
After he was booted from the chamber, Green spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill.
‘The president said he had a mandate. And I was making it clear to the president that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid,’ Green said.
The Texas Democrat said Trump’s budget calls for ‘deep cuts in Medicaid.’
But when he introduced the resolution, Newhouse slammed Green’s behavior during the address as unacceptable regardless of party.
‘Decorum and order are the institutional grounds for the way we do business in the United States Congress, and the sheer disregard for that standard during President Trump’s address by the gentleman from Texas is unacceptable,’ he said in a statement.
On Wednesday, he and other lawmakers stood on the House floor to debate the resolution. Republicans slammed Green’s action, but Democrats defended him and criticized the president.
Green, who has served in the House since 2005, has been a leading Democrat in efforts to impeach Trump since his first term in office.
The congressman announced last month he would file articles of impeachment against the president again in his new term. He said it was in response to Trump’s backing of ‘ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinians in Gaza.
After he was removed from the House chamber on Tuesday, Green said he was willing to accept punishment for his disruption.
‘It’s worth it to let people know that there’s some of us who are going to stand up against this president’s desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security,’ he said.
The president has pushed back on such claims, vowing to protect Medicare and Social Security.
But Democrats warn Republicans cannot meet their spending cut goals without impacting the program millions of low-income Americans rely on for health care.
