Resolution on Congressional Term Limits

Enacting term limits for members of congress would require a constitutional amendment which is outlined in Article V and involves two primary methods:

Proposal:

1. Congressional Proposal:

   • A proposed amendment can be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. It requires a two-thirds majority vote in favor of the proposed amendment in both chambers.

2. Constitutional Convention:

   • Alternatively, if two-thirds of the state legislatures (currently 34 out of 50) call for a constitutional convention to propose amendments, Congress is obligated to convene such a convention. Any amendments proposed by the convention would still need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Ratification:

1. State Legislatures:

   • Once an amendment is proposed (either by Congress or a constitutional convention), it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures (currently 38 out of 50). Each state legislature can decide how it will consider the proposed amendment, such as through a vote by the state legislature itself or a state convention.

2. Time Limit:

   • Congress typically includes a time limit for states to ratify the proposed amendment. If three-fourths of the states do not ratify within the specified time frame, the proposed amendment fails.

Modern Day American’s 28th Amendment

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to limiting the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve.

 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within 5 years after the date of its submission by the Congress:

“ARTICLE — 

‘‘SECTION 1. No person who has served 12 terms (24 years) as a Representative shall be eligible for election to the House of Representatives. For purposes of this section, the election of a person to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives shall be included as 1 term in determining the number of terms that such person has served as a Representative if the person fills the vacancy for more than 1 year. 

‘‘SECTION 2. No person who has served 4 terms as a Senator shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Senate. For purposes of this section, the election or appointment of a person to fill a vacancy in the Senate shall be included as 1 term in determining the number of terms that such person has served as a Senator if the person fills the vacancy for more than 3 years.

‘‘SECTION 3. No term beginning before the date of the ratification of this article shall be taken into account in determining eligibility for election or appointment under this article.’’. 

Challenges and Considerations:

1. Political Support:

   • Generating sufficient political support for term limits is a crucial aspect of the process. Members of Congress may be reluctant to support an amendment that would limit their own terms.

2. Public Advocacy:

   • Building public awareness and support for term limits is essential. Grassroots movements, advocacy groups, and public campaigns can play a significant role in garnering support for the idea.

3. State-Level Initiatives:

   • State-level initiatives, such as resolutions from state legislatures or ballot measures, can influence the broader discussion on term limits and put pressure on Congress to address the issue.

4. Amendment Alternatives:

   • Some proponents of term limits have explored alternative methods, such as a state-led constitutional convention focused specifically on proposing a term limits amendment. However, this approach would still require ratification by three-fourths of the states.