WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to reports, Republicans have introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would impose term limits on the House of Representatives and the Senate. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) is leading the legislation in the House, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is doing so in the Senate. If successfully passed, it would limit House members to three two-year terms and Senate members of two six-year terms.
Currently backing the amendment are Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Todd Young (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Mike Braun (R-IN).
Cruz noted in a statement that the vast majority of Americans from all parties – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents – strongly support congressional term limits, and that political careers are not what the Founding Fathers had envisioned.
“Every year, Congress spends billions of dollars on giveaways for the well-connected: Washington insiders get taxpayer money and members of Congress get re-elected, all while the system fails the American people,” Cruz said. “The rise of political careerism in today’s Congress is a sharp departure from what the Founders intended for our federal governing bodies. I have long called for this solution for the brokenness of Washington, D.C., and I will continue fighting to hold career politicians accountable. As I have done in the past, I urge my colleagues to submit this constitutional amendment to the states for speedy ratification.”
Norman also released a statement via Facebook, where he said that individuals should not turn holding elected office into life-long careers.
“It’s just wrong that someone could make a long-term career out of elected office, especially on the federal level. Some have defended life-long politicians by saying, ‘We need those folks because they know the system and keep things running.’ That’s bunk,” he said. “What we need are people who serve in Congress for a sensible period of time and then are REQUIRED to get out. Because with each passing year, the allure of Washington makes it easier and easier to lose sight of your district back at home.”
If the amendment passes, both Cruz and Norman would then be serving their finals terms in office, as each man were successful in their respective reelection bids.
It is currently not known how much support the bill will have among Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, as they would be asked to essentially vote themselves out of a job.
Some members of Congress have made very long careers out of their public service. Currently, the long-serving active member of the House is Don Young (R-AK), who has served a whopping 25 terms since he was first elected in 1973. Meanwhile, the longest-serving active member of the Senate is Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who has served eight terms since he was originally elected in 1975.
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