Politics in D.C. has always been a bit of a circus, but what happened in early March 2025 felt different. When the House of Representatives moved to punish Texas Congressman Al Green, it wasn't just another partisan spat. It was a chaotic, vocal, and surprisingly bipartisan moment that saw the 77-year-old Houston Democrat getting booted from a joint session and, shortly after, becoming the 28th member of the House to be formally censured in U.S. history.
Honestly, the whole thing started with a cane and a shout. During President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on March 4, 2025, Green didn't just sit there. When the President claimed a "mandate" from his 2024 victory, Green stood up, pointed his cane toward the dais, and yelled, "You have no mandate to cut Medicaid!"
Speaker Mike Johnson wasn't having it. After several warnings, the Sergeant at Arms literally escorted Green out of the chamber. But the drama didn't end at the door. Two days later, on March 6, the House voted 224-198 to censure him. If you're looking for who voted to censure Al Green, the answer isn't just "Republicans."
The Ten Democrats Who Broke Ranks
While the GOP was almost entirely unified in its push for punishment, the real story lies in the ten Democrats who crossed the aisle. It’s pretty rare to see that kind of defection on a censure vote, which is usually seen as a high-stakes political weapon. These ten lawmakers basically signaled that decorum mattered more than party loyalty in that specific moment.
The Democratic "yea" votes came from:
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- Ami Bera (California)
- Ed Case (Hawaii)
- Jim Costa (California)
- Laura Gillen (New York)
- Jim Himes (Connecticut)
- Chrissy Houlahan (Pennsylvania)
- Marcy Kaptur (Ohio)
- Jared Moskowitz (Florida)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington)
- Tom Suozzi (New York)
Rep. Ami Bera later went on MSNBC to explain himself. He sort of argued that while he didn't like Trump’s policies, he felt the House floor shouldn't turn into a shouting match. For these ten, it was about protecting the institution, or maybe just appearing moderate to their swing-district constituents back home.
The GOP Unified Front
On the Republican side, the vote was nearly unanimous. 214 Republicans showed up to vote "yea," led by Dan Newhouse of Washington, who actually introduced the resolution (H.Res. 189). Newhouse was pretty blunt about it. He said the address wasn't a "debate or a forum" and that Green's "childish outburst" had to be addressed.
Speaker Mike Johnson pushed the vote hard. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to call the behavior "egregious" and "shameful." He even challenged Democrats to join the effort to "regain the trust" of the American people. For the GOP, this was a clear-cut case of a member violating the rules of decorum that govern how the House is supposed to function during a Presidential address.
Why "Present" Was a Statement Too
Not everyone picked a side. Al Green himself, obviously not wanting to vote for his own punishment but also not wanting to hide, voted "Present." He was joined by Shomari Figures, a freshman Democrat from Alabama.
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In the world of D.C. procedural moves, a "Present" vote is like saying, "I'm here, I'm acknowledging this is happening, but I'm not playing this game." For Green, it was a way to maintain his stance without technically voting against a House resolution that focused on his own behavior.
The Scene on the Floor: Singing and Chaos
The actual reading of the censure was anything but quiet. Usually, when a member is censured, they have to stand in the "well" of the House while the Speaker reads the resolution. It’s meant to be a moment of public shame.
But as Speaker Johnson started reading the final count, about 30 Democrats—including members of the "Squad" like Ayanna Pressley—rushed down to stand with Green. They didn't just stand there; they started singing "We Shall Overcome." It got so loud and chaotic that Johnson had to call for a recess because he couldn't maintain order.
Green later told reporters he’d do it all over again. He felt that the threat of Medicaid and Social Security cuts was more important than "decorum." It’s a classic "conscience vs. rules" argument that has split the House before.
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What This Means for the Future of the House
Censure doesn't actually remove a member from office. It doesn't even necessarily strip them of committee assignments (though that can happen later). It’s essentially a permanent "bad mark" on their record.
However, the fact that who voted to censure Al Green included ten Democrats shows a growing divide within the Democratic party itself. You have the "old guard" and swing-district moderates who want to keep things civil, and then you have the activists who believe the time for civility has passed.
If you're following House proceedings, keep an eye on these names. The ten Democrats who voted for censure are likely to face primary challenges or heavy criticism from the more progressive wings of their party. Meanwhile, Al Green has basically become a folk hero to those who want more aggressive pushback against the administration.
Actionable Insights for Following Congressional Votes
- Check the Roll Call: Don't just trust the headlines. Go to clerk.house.gov and look up Roll Call 62 for the 119th Congress to see exactly how your specific representative voted.
- Monitor Committee Assignments: Watch to see if Hakeem Jeffries or the Democratic leadership takes any action against the ten who defected, or if the GOP tries to push for Green's removal from committees.
- Track the Medicaid Debate: Since this was the root of Green's protest, follow the House Budget Committee’s upcoming sessions to see if the "mandate" Green shouted about actually turns into legislative cuts.