Term Limits
This week, House lawmakers passed a resolution, HJR 151: Term Limits for Congress, in favor of imposing term limits for members of Congress. House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) sponsored the resolution and urged members to vote for the measure. The resolution, which passed with bipartisan support, calls for a constitutional convention of the states.
Article V of the United States Constitution spells out two ways for amendments to be adopted, one of which is for 34 states to request Congress to call a convention for the purpose of adopting amendments. HJR 151 would create an application by the General Assembly to the Congress for a limited convention of the states for the purpose of proposing an amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.
Speaker Moore told House members that the reason for limiting terms for members of Congress, but not for the state legislature, is because members of Congress have used the higher salary and prestige as a career instead of a public service. “The difference between us as state legislators and folks in Congress is this is not our full-time vocation," Moore said in committee, "you’ll find [state legislators] get $13,000 a year."
It will be up to Senate lawmakers to decide next if they also want to adopt the resolution and formally call for a convention of the states. In order to formally apply for the convention, 34 states would have to ratify similar resolutions. According to U.S. Term Limits, 14 states have already passed resolutions with the specific congressional term limit language included.