For immediate release
November 7, 2017
Contact: James Alvarado, U.S. Term Limits
Phone: 321.697.2895
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Term Limits (USTL), the leader in the national movement to limit terms of elected officials, is currently gathering support from state lawmakers across the nation, for an Article V convention to propose congressional term limits. With Florida already committed, Georgia is a key target state of the effort. This week, Georgia State House Representative (District 30), Emory Dunahoo, Jr., signed the Article V Term Limits Convention Pledge, joining several other Georgia legislators who have vocalized support of the measure within the past month.
USTL President, Philip Blumel, commented, “The gaining support of term limits in the Georgia Legislature shows that there are candidates who are willing to listen to the majority of voters who want term limits. America needs a Congress that will be served by citizen legislators, not career politicians.”
The U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge is provided to candidates and members of the state legislatures. It reads, “I pledge that as a member of the state legislature, I will support and vote for the resolution applying for an Article V convention for the limited purpose of enacting term limits on Congress.”
In the 1995 case, Thornton v. U.S. Term Limits, the Supreme Court of the United States opined that only a Constitutional Amendment could limit the terms of U.S. Senators and House Representatives.
According to Nick Tomboulides, Executive Director of USTL, the best chance of imposing term limits on congress is through an Article V Convention of state legislatures. “The Constitution allows for amendments to be proposed by ¾ of the states. While we’d like for Congress to take the high road and impose limits on itself, our goal is to trigger a term limits convention,” claims Tomboulides. “That is why it is important to get buy-in from state legislators. Where Congress fails to act, the states will,” he added. Once proposed, the amendment must be ratified by 38 states.
Blumel concluded, “America is in trouble. Our career politicians have let the people down. Legislators like Emory Dunahoo, Jr. and Wes Cantrell (District 27) know that it is time to limit Congressional terms and to return control of our nation to the people.”
Blumel noted, “More than 75% of Americans have rejected the career politician model and want to replace it with citizen leadership. The way to achieve that goal is through a congressional term limits amendment. The growing support shows there are individuals who know this and are willing to work to make sure we reach our goal.”
According to the last nationwide poll on term limits conducted by Gallup, the issue enjoys wide bipartisan support. The results demonstrate that 75% of Americans support congressional term limits. Gallup’s analysis states, “Republicans and Independents are slightly more likely than Democrats to favor term limits; nevertheless, the vast majority of all party groups agree on the issue. Further, Gallup finds no generational differences in support for the proposal.”
View Dunahoo’s signed pledge.
View Cantrell’s signed pledge.
State House Representative (District 30), Emory Dunahoo, Jr., signing the Article V Term Limits Convention Pledge.
Photo Credit: James Alvarado
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