Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a censure resolution against fellow House Republican Rep. Cory Mills, but it failed. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images ; David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
"I mean, if somebody warrants a censure and/or expulsion, it should truly be driven by the consensus of the body and not some individual going on their own crusade to get attention or make a name," Lawler said.
One lawmaker, granted anonymity to discuss the development, said they were even worried the tool could now be misused as an election ploy.
"The majority could just [censure] anybody in a tight race. And you don't want this process to become part of election games and s---" they said.
Currently, any one lawmaker can introduce a censure resolution against another. Both Republicans and Democrats have also wielded a mechanism known as a "privileged resolution" three times this week to force an immediate vote on rebuking a colleague — out of five total threats to do so.
It spurred conversations by House lawmakers on how to change those rules, including one bipartisan proposal that would raise the threshold to censure someone from a simple majority vote to 60% of the chamber.
Some experts fear that change may do little to change the political incentives in place now, however.
"Increasing the threshold is useful, but I don’t know that it will deter its use," Jim Curry, professor of political science at the University of Utah, said. "You still get to have this moment of ‘I have brought a censure resolution against so-and-so, and the House will vote on it because I was brave.’ That doesn’t change that incentive for individual members of Congress to use it to grab headlines."
In its current state, lawmakers voiced concern that censures had been used primarily in a retaliatory manner.
"Eye for an eye leaves everyone blind, and we shouldn't use the House floor to litigate personal grievances, or even legitimate ones that should go through the proper due process," Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., said. "If someone is found to have committed a violation, and they receive their day in court, or the equivalent of it, then they should be held accountable. But this rush to get a headline, I think it's childish."
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez forced a vote on rebuking fellow House Democratic Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Jonathan Gibby/Getty Images)
Other members expressed frustration that the chamber had spent a significant amount of time on the censures, diverting time and attention away from more pressing legislative matters.
"Issues of affordability are what I'm focused on. And so every time we were kind of veering off into other areas, it frustrates me that we're not focusing on the issues that were elected to deal with," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said.
Rep. Brad Knott, R-N.C., said, "I think that we would all do a little bit better to focus on the broader issues that the American people want us to focus on."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox Digital he would be open to reforms to the tool.
"I've had members from across the conference bringing me their thoughts and ideas on that, and we'll be going through that in a deliberative fashion to figure out what makes the most sense," he said.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lawmakers-demand-changes-house-censure-rules-after-playground-nonsense-embroils-congress