March 5 (UPI) — The right-wing House Freedom Caucus said Wednesday it will introduce a censure resolution against Democratic Rep. Al Green for as verbal protest during President Donald Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress.
Tuesday night, Green stood and shouted that Trump had “no mandate” to cut Medicaid.
For that disruptive verbal dissent, House Speaker Mike Johnson had Green ejected when Green ignored a warning to take his seat.
On X, the Freedom Caucus wrote, “The House Freedom Caucus will be introducing a censure resolution against Rep. Al Green today.”
Green told reporters after he was ejected Tuesday night that he will accept the punishment.
“It’s worth it to let people know that there are some of us who are going to stand up against this president’s desire to cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security.”
He added that he had constituents who are very fearful.
“These are poor people, and they all need Medicaid in their lives when it comes to their health care,” Green added.
Green’s fraternity backed Green’s dissent in a statement that said, “Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. applauds Alpha Brother Rep. Al Green’s courage and conviction to take a stand against President Donald J. Trump’s barrage of recent harmful and discriminatory policies during the President’s address to a joint session of Congress last night despite facing ejection.”
The fraternity cited notable historical figures as members including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Paul Robeson, Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
The statement added Green is a “veteran civil rights advocate who fights for the poor and disenfranchised” and “refuses to stand idly by as efforts to roll back historic civil rights and social justice advancements are taking place.”
According to a January 2025 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 51% said not enough is being spent on Medicare.
On Medicaid, 41% of poll respondents said it should not be cut. Just 13% said Medicaid cuts should be a top priority while 25% said cuts were important but not a top priority.
An additional 17% said Medicaid cuts are not too important.
Roughly 79 million people depend on Medicaid for health insurance.
Republicans on the House Budget Committee in February sought at least $880 billion in mandatory cuts in programs overseen by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Medicaid is expected to bear most of the cuts.
While Trump seeks deep cuts in programs and pursues mass federal worker layoffs, he is also seeking a $4.5 trillion tax cut with the bulk of the cuts Democrats says will go to the wealthiest Americans.
The caucus was unhappy with the way Democrats expressed dissent during Trump’s speech, accusing them of using noisemakers and making threats.
Johnson backed the Freedom Caucus effort to censure Green.
Republicans advocating a censure against Green did not publicly address the issue of Trump cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, is also circulating a censure resolution.
