On June 3, 2021, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to condemn Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York for unnecessarily pulling the fire alarm in Congress during a heated debate.
Bowman had pulled the fire alarm in the hallway outside the House chamber, after he and other lawmakers had become frustrated due to the length of the floor debate. He claimed his actions were necessary because he needed to get back into the chamber in order to vote, but later admitted it was wrong and apologized “for my lapse in judgment.”
In the resolution, the House condemned Bowman for his “disrespectful and dangerous act” and called for “responsible decorum and behavior” in the halls of Congress.
The resolution also declared that no member of Congress “shall cause any disruption or obstruction in the halls of Congress,” or “place the safety and security of those present in jeopardy.”
The vote to censure Bowman was bipartisan, with 218 Republicans and all Democrats who were in the chamber voting in favor of the resolution.
