House Homeland Security Committee Chair Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) announced Wednesday he is retiring from Congress, saying he wants to “go out with a win” after impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“I’ve accomplished what I wanted to do. I wanted to get a great border security bill done. We did that, and I wanted to hold the administration accountable and we just impeached for the first time a sitting Cabinet secretary,” Green told reporters on the Capitols steps.
Mayorkas, who was impeached with just one vote to spare, is the first Cabinet official impeached since the 1870s.
“I’ve learned being here that the fight isn’t in Washington. I think the fight is with Washington,” Green said.
Green, who will leave at the end of the session, is serving his first term as chair, and his exit makes him the fourth GOP chair to announce their retirement.
Green, 59, was first elected to represent Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District in 2018. The district is rated “solid Republican” by the nonpartisan election handicapper the Cook Political Report.
The Tennessee Republican was mum about his plans, including whether he is considering a run for another office such as the 2026 Tennessee gubernatorial race, but he told The Hill he would volunteer for former President Trump’s campaign.
“I’m gonna go help Donald Trump win the presidency,” he said.
As chair, Green has prioritized investigations of the Department of Homeland Security, primarily focusing on Mayorkas.
But the vote to impeach the secretary required two attempts, with three Republicans joining Democrats to defeat the resolution, citing concerns the GOP was abusing impeachment power and failing to meet the constitutional standards for the process.
A second vote succeeded only after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) returned to Washington after undergoing treatment for blood cancer.
The articles are not expected to get much consideration by the Democrat-led Senate.
Updated at 6:24 p.m.