Texas Sen. Ted Cruz Reintroduces Constitutional Amendment On Term Limits In Congress
Jan 26, 2021, 9:06 AM
(Photo by Susan Walsh-Pool/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reintroduced a constitutional amendment that would put term limits in place for members of Congress.
The amendment would restrict senators to two six-year terms, and representatives would have three two-year terms.
It is co-sponsored by senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
“The rise of political careerism in today’s Congress is a sharp departure from what the Founders intended for our federal governing bodies,” Cruz said in a statement. “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.”
Today my colleagues and I reintroduced a constitutional amendment to impose #TermLimits on Members of Congress. The amendment would limit U.S. senators to two six-year terms and members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms. pic.twitter.com/1izmg5EQ6B
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 25, 2021
In the House of Representatives, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), is also backing the proposed amendment.
“It’s just wrong that someone could make a long-term career out of elected office, especially on the federal level,” he wrote in a statement. “Some have defended life-long politicians by saying, ‘We need those folks because they know the system and keep things running.’ That’s bunk.”
“What we need are people who serve in Congress for a sensible period of time and then are REQUIRED to get out,” he added. “Because with each passing year, the allure of Washington makes it easier and easier to lose sight of your district back at home.”
In order to pass, the amendment would need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years. The measure would not apply to any politicians elected before ratification.