House moves forward on GOP resolution to censure Dem Rep. Green over disruption of Trump's speech to Congress

By 
 March 6, 2025

President Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress on Tuesday was momentarily brought to a halt by the disruptive behavior of anti-Trump Rep. Al Green (D-TX), who ultimately had to be removed from the chamber by the House Sergeant-at-Arms so the event could proceed.

Green is now facing a formal censure from his Republican colleagues over that disruption after his Democratic comrades failed to table a GOP resolution on the matter, Breitbart reported.

It is unclear when that censure of Green will occur as a final vote on the resolution was postponed following the defeat of the Democratic motion to kill it.

Removed for disrupting the president's speech

Democrats as a whole were disruptive throughout President Trump's joint address, but none more so than Rep. Green, who stood in protest and shook his cane while shouting angrily at the president.

Despite repeated admonitions from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to cease his behavior, maintain the decorum of the chamber, and retake his seat, Green refused to do so even as Johnson warned that he would direct the House Sergeant-at-Arms to restore order, which he was ultimately forced to do.

A formal censure

Less than 24 hours after Rep. Green was escorted from the House chamber by the Sergeant-at-Arms, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced a resolution to defend House decorum and censure Green for his disruptive behavior.

"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," Newhouse said in a statement.

The congressman added, "A Member’s refusal to adhere to the Speaker’s direction to cease such behavior, regardless of their party, has and will continue to be reprimanded in the People’s House."

The two-page resolution states in part, "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."

Democrat attempt to table the resolution was rejected

The resolution to censure Rep. Green for disrupting President Trump's joint address, known as H.Res. 189, was introduced Wednesday morning as a privileged matter, which served to hasten the process of considering the measure.

Later that same day, House Democrats put forward a motion to table the resolution, effectively killing it, but that motion failed by a vote of 209-211.

According to the roll call on the vote, 211 Republicans voted against the motion while 209 Democrats voted in favor of it. Of note, seven Republicans and four Democrats didn't cast a vote at all and Green voted "present" on the failed attempt to block his censure.

After the motion to table was rejected, there was an hour of debate, but at the end of the debate, the final vote on the matter was postponed until an unspecified later date.

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