What does it mean to be censured when you're a senator?

A form of discipline used by the Senate against its members is a censure that does not remove a senator from office. It is rather a formal Senatorial declaration of disapproval (requiring a two-thirds vote) that can have a prolonged psychological effect on a member and his/her family. This stigma remains with a censured Senator as long as he/she remains a Senator. Case example: Member, Timothy Pickering was charged with having read confidential documents in an open Senate session before an injunction of secrecy had been removed.