During Thursday’s House session, Democrats began singing “We Shall Overcome” from the chamber floor after Rep. Al Green was formally censured for his actions during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress earlier in the week.
The Republican-majority House passed the censure measure in a 224-198 vote, with two members abstaining—one of whom was Green himself. Among the Democrats, ten joined Republicans in supporting the resolution.
Following the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson summoned Green to the well of the House, where the censure resolution was read aloud. As Green stood surrounded by fellow Democrats, they broke into the civil rights anthem, prompting Republican lawmakers to call for order. The scene escalated into a heated exchange, with Democrats and Republicans shouting across the chamber. At one point, Rep. Ayanna Pressley accused Republicans of disgraceful behavior, yelling, “Shame on you!” while Rep. Rashida Tlaib also voiced her anger.
Later that evening, Johnson appeared on Fox News, describing the incident as “a truly unfortunate moment for our institution.” Meanwhile, Rep. Andy Ogles, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, announced on X that he was drafting a proposal to remove Green and his supporters from their committee positions.
Green Responds to Censure
Shortly after the decision, Green took the floor to deliver a defiant speech. Reading the censure resolution aloud, he followed with his own remarks, beginning with, “Mr. Speaker, and still I rise.” He went on to declare himself a “proud, liberated Democrat—unbought, unbossed, and unafraid.”
Green continued to condemn Trump’s policies, justifying the Democrats’ decision to sing during the session by describing it as an act of defiance against incivility. “We must not allow [Trump’s] demand for absolute loyalty to silence us or prevent us from defending liberty and justice,” he stated. “Sometimes, standing up for what’s right requires a level of righteous defiance.”
The censure resolution was introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse, who denounced Green’s conduct as inappropriate. House Democrats had attempted to block the measure the night before but were unsuccessful.
While a censure serves as a formal reprimand for violating House decorum, it carries no real consequences beyond public condemnation. Historically, censures have been rare, but their use has increased in recent years as a political tool. Green is now the fifth member of Congress to be censured in the past decade.
Some Republicans are pushing for additional disciplinary measures, with the House Freedom Caucus planning to introduce efforts to strip Green of his committee assignments in the coming days.
A History of Disruptions
Green’s protest is not the first time a lawmaker has interrupted a presidential address. In 2022, Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert repeatedly interrupted President Joe Biden’s speech. Greene did so again in 2024 during Biden’s State of the Union address.
On Thursday, ten Democrats voted in favor of the censure, including Reps. Ami Bera, Ed Case, Jim Costa, Laura Gillen, Jim Himes, Chrissy Houlahan, Marcy Kaptur, Jared Moskowitz, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and Tom Suozzi.
However, many Democrats condemned the move. Rep. Jamie Raskin called the censure “outrageous,” arguing that it set a dangerous precedent. “They’ve completely diluted the meaning of censure. If heckling is now grounds for censure, then we should be censuring Marjorie Taylor Greene for her repeated interruptions of President Biden,” he said.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett echoed this sentiment, pointing out the inconsistency in reactions. “We’ve seen Marjorie Taylor Greene yell at Biden multiple times, and no one seemed to care. So why is this different?” she asked.
When questioned about the ten Democrats who backed the resolution, Crockett responded, “I can’t speak for them, but I know why I voted the way I did. If my constituents disagree, that’s their right. But I stand with Al Green.”
Speaker Johnson Calls for Decorum
Just before the vote, Speaker Johnson told ABC News he regretted the necessity of the censure, saying he hoped Green would take responsibility for his actions. “I take no pleasure in this,” he said. “I want to preserve the dignity of this institution, and behavior like this undermines it.”
Green had been removed from the chamber during Trump’s speech on Tuesday after repeatedly disrupting the president and refusing to comply with warnings from Johnson. However, Green later stated he had no resentment toward Johnson for enforcing the rules or overseeing the censure vote.
“He knowingly chose to break House rules in a way that is likely unprecedented—interrupting an address by the President of the United States, who was a guest of Congress,” Johnson explained before the vote.