April 26, 2021
Contact: Scott Tillman, U.S. Term Limits
Phone: (321) 345-7455
stillman@termlimits.com
North Carolina State Senator Ted Alexander Honored for Term Limits Support
Raleigh, NC — North Carolina’s state senator Ted Alexander (district 44) was honored with a plaque for his support of term limits on Congress. U.S. Term Limits (USTL), the nation’s oldest and largest pro-term limits group, presented the distinction to Alexander at the North Carolina capitol earlier this week.
Shanna Chamblee of USTL gave the senator the “Champion of Term Limits” wood plaque which reads, “In recognition of a steadfast commitment to restore citizen government through term limits.” Alexander has pledged to support house joint resolution 172 (HJR172) which successfully passed through the lower chamber earlier this month. The convention bill does not set the specific length of term limits, rather, it simply starts a discussion among the states on what the ideal term limits of Congressmembers should be.
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, the states have more power to amend the Constitution than the Congress does. In this situation, Congress would have a conflict of interest to propose term limits on itself. Recognizing this, the founders assured the states could both propose and ratify amendments without the approval of Congress. HJR172 leverages this power so the states may act in the best interest of the people.
Sponsored by North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, the measure’s summary reads, “House Joint Resolution 172 applies to the United States Congress for a Convention of the States to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress.”
HJR172 must be approved by the state senate in order for North Carolina to be counted in the states calling for a term limits convention.
Alexander is in good company in his commitment. At least ten senators have pledged to support HJR172 with many more indicating they will vote to approve it. These senators know that their constituents want term limits on Congress. According to a 2020 poll of voters in the state conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, term limits enjoy wide bipartisan support. In North Carolina 79% of Republicans, 68% of Democrats, and 71% of independents strongly approve of placing term limits on members of Congress.
In addition, there are six members of Congress from the North Carolina delegation, including Senator Tillis, who have signed USTL’s term limits pledge.
Once the amendment is proposed by either Congress or the states at a national convention, it must be ratified by 38 states in order to become part of the U.S. Constitution.
View Alexander’s signed pledge here.
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U.S. Term Limits is the largest grassroots term limits advocacy group in the country. We connect term limits supporters with their legislators and work to pass term limits on all elected officials, particularly on the U.S. Congress. Find out more at termlimits.org.