What is censure? Rep Al Green sign at SOTU stirs punishment talk - Delaware Online

A House vote to censure Rep. Al Green could be on the table after Green's sign at the State of the Union address led to his removal just minutes into President Donald Trump's SOTU address.

Is Green facing punishment or consequences for his actions, or will he face censure after his removal from the 2026 State of the Union? A Democrat from Texas, Green held a sign behind the president reading: "Black people aren't apes." Green was removed from the chamber, appearing to have a heated exchange with several Republicans as he left.

The sign referenced a brief snipped from a video Trump posted on social media earlier this month, depicting Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, former president and first lady, as apes. Republicans and Democrats have called the video racist.

Here's what we know about a possible House vote to censure Green; what does it mean for a member of Congress to be censured, and how common is it? Here's what to know:

What does it mean to be censured? Censure meaning

A censure is considered a severe public disapproval or rebuke against a member of Congress brought by other members as a form of punishment. Expulsion is the most severe punishment a lawmaker faces, followed by censure and then reprimand.

The Constitution grants the House power to discipline members who engage in "disorderly behavior." Censure and censored are often confused: Censored means the suppression of material, such as in books or film.

What happens when a person is censured in Congress?

Once the House votes and approves a censure, or resolution to censure, the censured member must stand while the House Speaker reads the censure resolution aloud as a "form of public rebuke," the US House of Representatives website states.

Will Al Green be punished? Can Al Green be censured?

It's possible Rep. Al Green could be punished by facing censure or reprimand after Green was removed from President Donald Trump's State of the Union Tuesday night, minutes after it began. Rep. Mike Rulli, R-Ohio, told Fox News he has turned to other House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to support a resolution to censure Green.

This would be Green's second censure, after House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Green from Trump's SOTU in 2025 for heckling the president by waving his cane and shouting over Trump. Two days later, the House voted to censure Green, which passed largely across party lines.

When could the House vote to censure Al Green?

The House returns to session on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, according to the House schedule, where a resolution to censure could be introduced for a vote.

Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to holding a vote on a censure resolution, but said he'd defer to other lawmakers to determine whether censure is appropriate.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.