For immediate release
January 12, 2023
Contact: Scott Tillman, U.S. Term Limits
Phone: (321) 345-7455
stillman@termlimits.com
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina Files Resolution to Term Limit the U.S. Congress
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Term Limits (USTL) applauds Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina for sponsoring house joint resolution 11 (HJR11). The proposed constitutional amendment, once ratified by the states, would limit representatives to three terms, or 6 years, and Senators to two terms, or 12 years.
There are 44 original cosponsors listed on the resolution. The number of sponsors is expected to triple as U.S. Term Limits has secured pledges from more than 130 members of the 118th Congress.
HJR11 is being spearheaded by the nonpartisan, nonprofit U.S. Term Limits and is aimed at creating regular open seats thereby increasing the diversity of views and experiences represented in Congress.
“For too long, Congress has been dominated by career politicians who have lost touch with the needs and concerns of their constituents,” said Philip Blumel, President of U.S. Term limits. “Term limits will ensure that fresh ideas and new perspectives are brought to the table, and that elected officials remain accountable to the American people.”
Blumel praised the resolution, calling it “a vital step towards restoring citizen-government in our nation’s capital.”
The proposed amendment would not retroactively apply to current members of Congress. The clock would start ticking for the entire Congress after ratification by the states. HJR11 will now be sent to the Judiciary Committee for consideration, or it may go directly to the House floor for a vote. Speaker McCarthy promised to bring term limits up for a vote as part of his negotiations to secure the speakership. The proposed amendment would require ratification by three-fourths of the states in order to become part of the Constitution.
According to the latest nationwide poll on term limits conducted by RMG Research, term limits enjoys wide bipartisan support. Scott Rasmussen’s report states, “Support for term limits is broad and strong across all political, geographic and demographic groups. An overwhelming 82% of voters approve of a constitutional amendment that will place term limits on members of Congress.”
HJR11 and its U.S. Senate companion resolution are part of a multi-pronged strategy to secure term limits on Congress. Since the Supreme Court decided that term limits may only be imposed through an amendment to the Constitution (U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton in 1995), USTL is working with state legislatures to propose an amendment through a national term limits amendment proposal convention, a power delegated to the states through Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
The complete text of the HJR-11 proposal may be viewed here.
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U.S. Term Limits is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating specifically for term limits. Our mission is to improve the quality of government with a citizen legislature that closely reflects its constituency and is responsive to the needs of the people it serves. Find out more at termlimits.org.