Censure

Censure is a formal reprimand voted by the House or Senate against one of its members for misconduct. It is a resolution adopted by majority vote and has no direct legal consequences. Under House practice, the member is typically required to stand in the well of the chamber while the Speaker reads the resolution aloud.

Each chamber has the constitutional power to discipline members, and to expel one with a two-thirds vote. Censure is a middle step, between a lesser reprimand and expulsion. The Senate has censured members for misconduct over the centuries, including Joseph McCarthy in 1954. The House censured several members in recent years, including Representatives Adam Schiff, Rashida Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman and Al Green, mostly on party-line or near-party-line votes.

Because it needs only a simple majority, censure has become a favored tool for partisan messaging, with members of both parties forcing votes against opponents. Critics say that overuse has devalued the sanction, which has historically been reserved for serious ethical violations. Supporters say that it is a legitimate way to show disapproval of behavior that does not warrant expulsion. A member of the president's Cabinet or the president cannot be censured in the same formal way; Congress may only pass a symbolic resolution, distinct from impeachment. See also Contempt of Congress.