What does it mean to be censured?

U.S. Rep. Al Green faces a censure vote on Thursday following his ejection from the House chamber during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress earlier this week. 

One of the ways the Senate has disciplined its members is censure. Sometimes it is referred to as condemnation or denouncement.

What does censure mean?

Censure is a formal statement of disapproval in the form of a resolution that is adopted by a majority vote. A censure does not remove a senator from office, and it does not deny a senator their rights or privileges. 

Article I, section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member." 

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Rep. Al Green faces censure vote after removal from President Trump's speech

U.S. Rep. Al Green faces a censure vote on Thursday following his ejection from the House chamber during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress earlier this week.

Since 1789, the Senate has censured nine of its members for conduct that senators determined to be inappropriate or detrimental to the Senate.

Who has been censured in the past?

• Jan. 2, 1811, Timothy Pickering was censured in a 20-7 vote for reading confidential documents in an open Senate session before an injunction of secrecy was removed.
• May 10, 1844, Benjamin Tappan was censured in a 38-7 vote for releasing a copy of President John Tyler's message to the Senate to the New York Evening Post on April 22, 1844. It was regarding the treaty of annexation between the U.S. and the Republic of Texas. 
• Feb. 28, 1902, Benjamin Tillman and John McLaurin, both Democrats from South Carolina, were censured and suspended in a 54-12 vote (22 not voting) for fighting in the senate chamber on Feb. 22, 1902. Each was censured and suspended retroactively, for six days. This incident led to the adoption of Rule XX governing the conduct of debate in the Chamber.
• Nov. 4, 1929, Hiram Bingham was condemned (censured) in a 54-22 vote (18 not voting), for employing a Senate staff member, Charles Eyanson, who was also employed by the Manufacturers Association of Connecticut. Eyanson was hired to help Bingham with tariff legislation. The issue broadened into the question of the government employing dollar-a-year-men.
• Dec. 2, 1954, Joseph McCarthy was condemned (censured) in a 67-22 vote for abuse and noncooperation with the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections during a 1952 investigation of his conduct, for abuse of the Select Committee to Study Censure.
• June 23, 1967, Thomas J. Dodd was censured in a 92-5 vote for use of his office (1961-1965) to convert campaign funds to his personal benefit. Conduct unbecoming a senator.
• Oct. 11, 1979, Herman E. Talmadg was denounced (censured) in an 81-15 vote for improper financial conduct (1973-1978), accepting reimbursements of $43,435.83 for official expenses not incurred, and improper reporting of campaign receipts and expenditures.
• July 25, 1990, David F. Durenberger was denounced (censured) in a 96-0 vote for unethical conduct in personal business dealings, Senate reimbursements, and using campaign contributions for personal use.