“I would do it again,” says Al Green as House mulls censure

The Republican-controlled U.S. House has begun a process that could lead to the censure of Democrat Al Green, who was removed from the chamber after shouting at President Donald Trump during his address on March 4.

The House of Representatives initiated a censure process against Representative Al Green, a Texas Democrat, after his outburst during President Trump’s speech. Green, who has served in Congress for 20 years and is known for calling for Trump’s impeachment, interrupted the president’s speech by yelling and waving his cane.

“I would do it again,” Green told Reuters, acknowledging his actions while accepting the consequences. His message was largely drowned out by boos from Republicans, but he had been protesting Trump’s proposed cuts to Medicaid, a government healthcare program for low-income Americans.

Green’s actions violated House decorum, prompting his removal by chamber staff. Representative Dan Newhouse, a moderate Republican from Washington, introduced the censure resolution, citing Green’s “breach of proper conduct.”

The full House is expected to vote on the resolution in the coming days. A censure is a formal reprimand without financial penalties but serves as a public rebuke. While censure was rare in previous years, recent years have seen several lawmakers reprimanded for issues ranging from social media posts to disruptive actions during votes.

Green’s outburst stands in contrast to Democratic leaders, who urged decorum during the speech and chose a moderate senator from Michigan to give the party’s rebuttal.

Copied