WASHINGTON – Not every fight in Congress is partisan.
In the House this week, Republicans have been going after Republicans. Democrats have been going after Democrats. Lawmakers in both parties have been picking different sides each time.
These aren’t policy fights. Lawmakers keep introducing resolutions to punish each other for various things they’ve done in the past. They’ve brought up three resolutions in the last two days, and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is planning to introduce a fourth on Wednesday night.
Votes on these measures are entirely symbolic. A censure resolution is a formal statement of disapproval, but it doesn’t have any material effect, like forcing someone out of office. Similarly, a resolution to reprimand a member of Congress has no real impact, though unlike a censure, it spares the lawmaker the humiliation of standing in the well of the House and having the resolution read aloud to them.
But these spats have eaten up hours of House floor time this week and escalated tensions between and within parties. And, because lawmakers can introduce these resolutions as a “privileged” matter, it means a single lawmaker can bring one up for a vote on the House floor pretty much anytime.
