The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to censure Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman of New York for triggering a fire alarm in a House office building without an emergency. Censure, a significant rebuke, falls short of expulsion and serves as a public admonition of a lawmaker.

Censure is a rare move by lawmakers, but since June, Republicans have initiated efforts to censure two other Democrats. Bowman now becomes the third member to face censure since the GOP took control of the chamber. The GOP-led censure resolution passed with a vote of 214 to 191.

Following the resolution's passage, Speaker Mike Johnson called for Bowman's presence in the well of the House chamber to publicly announce the censure. A crowd of Democratic lawmakers surrounded Bowman during this event.

Responding to the censure, Bowman criticized the Republican Party's intentions, stating that it is another example of their lack of seriousness in governing. He added that the censure resolution unfairly targets him despite taking immediate responsibility for the fire alarm incident and denying any intention to delay a House vote, as accused by Republicans.

The incident occurred in late September when video footage showed Bowman pulling the fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building shortly before a government funding bill vote, resulting in the building's evacuation. The congressman maintained that it was an accidental act, explaining that he thought the alarm would open a door that was closed. Bowman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for falsely triggering a fire alarm in a House office building.

Republican Representative Lisa McClain of Michigan submitted the resolution to censure Bowman, emphasizing the principle that no one is above the law, including members of Congress.

Bowman and his Democratic counterparts have expressed opposition to the censure effort, criticizing the Republican Party's inability to govern effectively. Bowman reiterated that the legal process surrounding the incident had already been concluded and accused Republicans of attempting to rehash a matter that had already been litigated.

On Wednesday, the House rejected a Democratic motion to block the resolution, setting the stage for the final censure vote on Thursday.

The censure resolution comes shortly after the House voted to expel indicted Republican Representative George Santos of New York, marking the most severe form of punishment for a member. Expulsion requires a two-thirds majority vote and is a rare occurrence within the House.

Previously, the Republican-controlled House had brought censure resolutions against other Democratic lawmakers. In November, a resolution was passed to censure Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan over comments critical of Israel and in support of Palestinians. Similarly, in June, the House censured California Representative Adam Schiff, a prominent figure in the Democrats' investigations into former President Donald Trump during his tenure.

The censure of Representative Jamaal Bowman adds to the ongoing tensions within the House of Representatives, highlighting the partisan divide and the continuing conflicts between Republicans and Democrats.