Press Releases

Reps. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) today introduced a bipartisan resolution that would raise the required vote threshold to punish Members of the House with censure, disapproval, or removal of committee assignments from a simple majority to 60 percent. This measure would reform the process by which the House disciplines its Members, in response to the sharp increase in introductions of punitive resolutions in the House.

“The process of censures and disciplinary measures in the House is broken, and all of us know it. These measures were historically reserved for rare and exceptional cases after a lengthy process that allowed time for investigations and due process, but that precedent has deteriorated. Our resolution would break the cycle of censures to help return focus in the House to solving problems for the American people,” said Rep. Beyer. “The proliferation of resolutions to punish our fellow Members with censure, disapproval, or the revocation of committee assignments has become unsustainable, to the point that they now impair our ability to work together to address serious issues. I fear this is inflicting lasting damage on this institution. Our legislation would implement desperately needed reform by creating a threshold high enough to require significant consensus between the parties that the process has been fair and that any wrongdoing rises to the level of the punishment. I thank my colleague, Congressman Bacon, for working with me on this solution  and urge my colleagues to support this measure and raise the level of sanity in the People’s House.”

“A U.S. House ruled by mob mentality cannot function. The institution and American people deserve better than what we’ve seen this week. The vast middle must stand up to the extremes and put commonsense safeguards in place,” said Rep. Bacon. “This resolution with Rep. Beyer, which requires a 60 percent threshold before the House can censure or penalize a Member, will force future censures to have bipartisan support, restore stability, protect the institution, and get the House back to working for the American people.” 

Article I of the Constitution establishes that “Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour.”  Historically measures punishing Members of the House were reserved for rare, unique cases following investigations; during the 20^th Century the House voted to censure its members just six times, most after lengthy ethics investigations that established criminal activity or serious misconduct. At least five resolutions to punish Members of the House have been brought forward just this week, and dozens of Members have been targeted with such measures this year.

Full text of the resolution is available here. 

In addition to Congressmen Beyer and Bacon, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Angie Craig (D-MN), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Michael Turner (R-OH), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Nikema Williams (D-GA), James Walkinshaw (D-VA), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Ami Bera (D-CA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), and Jared Huffman (D-CA).