Censuring Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

Bill Number

H.Res. 258

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Congress

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Ethics.

Last Updated

2025-05-09T15:51:20Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This resolution (H. Res. 258) aims to formally censure (a type of official reprimand) Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas for making remarks deemed inappropriate and discriminatory during a public event and a congressional hearing.

Key Provisions

• Censure Declaration: Explicitly states that Representative Crockett is censured for her conduct.
• Procedural Requirements: Requires Representative Crockett to appear in the "well" of the House (the area in front of the Speaker's platform) for the censure to be pronounced.
• Public Reading: Mandates that the Speaker of the House read the resolution aloud in public as part of the censure process.

The resolution cites specific incidents:

• On March 22, 2025, at a Human Rights Campaign event, she referred to Texas Governor Greg Abbott as "Governor Hot Wheels" and a "hot ass mess," which is described as unbecoming and discriminatory.
• On May 16, 2024, during a Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing, she made inflammatory comments about another member's appearance.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution introduces no changes to existing laws or statutes. It is a non-binding House resolution focused on internal discipline, relying on the House's constitutional authority to regulate its members' conduct rather than enacting new legal rules.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies or Congress: Could set a precedent for handling similar verbal misconduct by members, potentially influencing House ethics enforcement and committee proceedings. It may lead to increased scrutiny of representatives' public statements.
• On Citizens: Minimal direct impact, but it highlights standards of decorum for elected officials, which could affect public trust in Congress or perceptions of political discourse.
• On International Relations: No apparent impact, as the resolution addresses domestic political remarks.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Representative Jasmine Crockett: Directly targeted; the censure could damage her professional reputation and political standing within Congress.
• House of Representatives Leadership: Including the Speaker and the Committee on Ethics, which receives the resolution for review; they handle the procedural implementation.
• Texas Governor Greg Abbott: Indirectly referenced as the target of the remarks, potentially escalating partisan tensions in Texas politics.
• Broader Congressional Community: Other members may face similar resolutions for comparable behavior, affecting House culture and bipartisanship.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal/Constitutional: Relies on Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which grants each chamber of Congress the power to "punish its Members for disorderly Behavior" and set its own rules. Censure is a symbolic, non-punitive measure (unlike expulsion, which requires a two-thirds vote) and carries no legal penalties like fines or removal from office.
• Political: As a partisan measure introduced by Republican representatives, it underscores divisions in Congress over free speech versus decorum. If adopted, it could energize political debates on accountability for inflammatory rhetoric, particularly in a polarized environment, but it risks being seen as selective enforcement based on party lines. The resolution's referral to the Ethics Committee suggests it may not advance without broader support.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Carter, John R. [R-TX-31], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26]

Recent Actions

• 2025-03-26: Referred to the House Committee on Ethics.
• 2025-03-26: Submitted in House
• 2025-03-26: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Censuring Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas. — issued 2025-03-26 — PDF (2 pages)