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As Per Rules of the U.S. House, Rep. Joe Wilson Could be Censured

by Karen Hatter | September 15, 2009 at 12:04 pm

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The Rules of Decorum and Debate of the U.S. House of Representatives provide rules stating who can and cannot be on the floor of the House and provides rules for dress and behavior by those members of the House of Representatives in attendance in the House.

Listed as numbers two and three, respectively:

Avoid characterizing another Member's personal intent or motives and discussing personalities.

Refrain from speaking disrespectfully of the Speaker, other Members, the President or Vice President.

Click here for Rules of Decorum and Debate in the House.

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tikun

at 12:11 on September 15th, 2009

So who really cares. He apologized. Let's get on with more important business. But no some want to use the race card to try and do him in. nice real nice.

Karen Hatter

at 19:03 on September 15th, 2009

Race was not discussed in this article, Tikun. It is you that has injected race.

When there are established rules by which a body operates, when rules are broken, there should be consequences as a result of actions in defiance of the rules set by the body or organization.

a211423

at 14:26 on September 15th, 2009

From the Rules of Decorum:

NOTE -- Debate which violates the rules of decorum may result in a Member's words being taken down.

Thank you for the link to the Rules of Decorum.

After reading that his words may be stricken from the public record, I have changed my mind on this issue. I was in favor of letting it go, but having his words stricken is as good as a retraction. This is fair.

Karen Hatter

at 19:05 on September 15th, 2009

A, I'm in favor of the words remaining, to show the extent of the offense.

Karen Hatter

at 19:06 on September 15th, 2009

The house voted, this evening, Tuesday, September 15, 2009, instead of a vote to censure, in a vote split along party lines, 240-179, to rebuke Republican Joe Wilson of South Carolina, passing a resolution of disapproval for Rep. Wilson's behavior, directing his comment, "You Lie!" , toward President Obama at a rare joint session of Congress last week, during his address to the Congress about health care reform.

Seven Republicans voted for the resolution. Twelve Democrats voted against the resolution.

From MSNBC :

Tuesday's short resolution said Wilson's conduct was a "breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House."

The Office of the House Historian said the resolution marked the first time in the 220-year history of the House that a member had been admonished for speaking out while the president was giving an address. A resolution of disapproval is less severe than other disciplinary action available to the House, including censure or expulsion.