U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to impose term limits for members of Congress.
The amendment would limit U.S. senators to two six-year terms (twelve years total) and U.S. House members to three two-year terms (six years total).
The two-page resolution states that the amendment would become effective seven years after Congress submits it. If it passes both chambers, it will go into effect no earlier than 2032.
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, three-fourths of the states, or 38 of 50, must ratify the amendment for it to pass.
Congress last passed a constitutional amendment in 1992: The 27th Amendment. It, too, sought to limit corruption in the legislative branch, stating, “No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”
There is broad bipartisan support for term limits, according to the latest nationwide poll conducted by Pew Research. The report states, “Support for term limits is broad and strong across all political, geographic and demographic groups. An overwhelming 87% of voters approve of a constitutional amendment that will place term limits on members of Congress.”
The proposed amendment does not prevent a U.S. Senator from running as a U.S. Representative or vice versa, meaning a senator could stay in Congress for a maximum of eighteen years. It also does not preclude legislators from remaining in office for another eight years as president, for a maximum of 26 years.
“Term limits are critical to fixing what’s wrong with Washington, D.C.,” said Cruz. “The Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve for a few years and return home, not a government run by a small group of special interests and lifelong, permanently entrenched politicians who prey upon the brokenness of Washington to govern in a manner that is totally unaccountable to the American people. Term limits bring about long-overdue accountability. I urge my colleagues to advance this amendment to the states so that it may be quickly ratified and become a constitutional amendment.”
Fourteen Republican Senators co-sponsored the bill: Mike Lee (UT), Rick Scott (FL), Eric Schmitt (MO), Rand Paul (KY), Todd Young (IN), Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy (MT), Bill Hagerty (TN), Cynthia M. Lummis (WY), Katie Boyd Britt (AL), Roger Marshall (KS), Jim Banks (IN), Ted Budd (NC), and Bernie Moreno (OH).
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas did not co-sponsor the bill. However, he has previously stated that he backed Senate leader term limits.
U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC) also introduced a companion resolution in the House.
“Elected office should represent a short-term privilege of public service, not a career choice,” said Norman. “Those of us in Congress ought to serve for a reasonable period of time and then return home to live under the laws we enacted. That’s why I’ve proposed a constitutional amendment to establish term limits in the legislative branch, and I am honored that Sen. Cruz has introduced a companion bill over in the Senate. This effort will go a long way to positively impact American politics, and I appreciate Sen. Cruz’s leadership on this important issue.”
Cruz, who just won re-election to his third term in the Senate, has introduced a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits during the last four terms of Congress: 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
