From the Office of the Majority Leader, Representative Steny Hoyer (D):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 15, 2009…

This afternoon the House will consider a resolution disapproving of the conduct by Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-2) during the joint session of Congress, September 9, 2009.  It will be offered by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn.  Congressman Wilson’s outburst was a breach of decorum and brought discredit to the House of Representatives.

The House general code of conduct requires that “a lawmaker shall conduct himself at all times in a manner which shall reflect creditably on the House of Representatives.”  These are the standards members are held to when they take the oath of office.  Despite the request of leadership of both parties, Rep. Wilson has refused to apologize on the House Floor, as is considered traditional, when a Member breaches House rules.  Therefore, the House is compelled to respond.

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RESOLUTION [pdf]

Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

Whereas on September 9, 2009, during the joint session of Congress convened pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 179, the President of the United States, speaking at the invitation of the House and Senate, had his remarks interrupted by the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson; and

Whereas the conduct of the Representative from South Carolina was a breach of decorum and degraded the proceedings of the joint session, to the discredit of the House: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives disapproves of the behavior of the Representative from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson, during the joint session of Congress held on September 9, 2009.

H RES 744      YEA-AND-NAY      15-Sep-2009      5:32 PM

QUESTION:  On Agreeing to the Resolution

BILL TITLE: Raising a question of the privileges of the House.

Yeas Nays PRES NV

Democratic 233 12 5 6

Republican 7 167 [0] 4

TOTALS 240 179 5 10

YEAS    240

Carnahan

Clay

Cleaver

Emerson

NAYS    179

Akin

Blunt

Graves

Luetkemeyer

ANSWERED “PRESENT”   5

Skelton

Interesting. Three Democrats and a republican from Missouri voted to disapprove of the behavior of the House’s unrepentant rude member. The usual suspects voted in favor of rudeness. And Congressman Ike Skelton (D) voted “present”.

Frankly, I’m surprised by that last one. This might explain it.