Sen. Cruz, Colleagues Reintroduce Constitutional Amendment Imposing Congressional Term Limits

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), along with Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.), today reintroduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would impose term limits on Members of Congress. U.S. Senators would be limited to two six-year terms and members of the House of Representatives to three two year terms.

Upon reintroduction, Sen. Cruz said:

“Every year, Congress spends billions of dollars on giveaways for the well-connected: Washington insiders get taxpayer money and members of Congress get re-elected, all while the system fails the American people. It’s no wonder that the vast majority of Americans from every political stripe – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents – overwhelmingly support congressional term limits.

“The rise of political careerism in today’s Congress is a sharp departure from what the Founders intended for our federal governing bodies. I have long called for this solution for the brokenness of Washington, D.C., and I will continue fighting to hold career politicians accountable. As I have done in the past, I urge my colleagues to submit this constitutional amendment to the states for speedy ratification.”

Sen. Rick Scott said: 

“Washington is more dysfunctional than ever, and I’m fighting every day to make reforms in the best interest of American families. Career politicians are never going to make the tough choices needed to get our nation on a successful path. They care more about politics and their next election than the future of this country. That has to end now. We need to reimagine government and term limits are the right place to start.”

Sen. Young said:

“Washington needs more problem solvers, fewer politicians. Placing term limits on the federal legislative branch will bring fresh perspectives to Congress and ensure that our nation’s leaders are in touch with the lives, needs, and aspirations of the people they represent.”

Sen. Braun said:

“If there is one change that would immediately make Washington work more for Americans and less for the swamp, it’s term limits. I’m proud to have signed a term limit pledge for myself and to support this constitutional amendment to break up the farm system of politics and take on the dysfunction in D.C.”

Sen. Toomey added:

“I have long been a supporter of congressional term limits, which would infuse Congress with real-world experience, perspectives, and sensibilities. Term limits also have the added benefit of being supported by supermajorities of Republicans and Democrats. As Benjamin Franklin put it, ‘In free governments, the rulers are the servants, and the people their superiors…. For the former to return among the latter does not degrade, but promote them.’”

Read the text of the proposed amendment here.

BACKGROUND 

Sen. Cruz has long fought for congressional term limits:

• In 2016, Sen. Cruz and former Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) published an op-ed in The Washington Post announcing their intention to introduce a term limits amendment.
• In 2017, Sen. Cruz first introduced a constitutional amendment mandating term limits in the 115th Congress.
• In 2019, Sen. Cruz led a hearing as chairman of the Senate Judiciary’s Subcommittee on The Constitution, entitled, ‘Keeping Congress Accountable: Term Limits in the United States.’ The hearing examined the use of term limits as an avenue to break the cycle of career politicians and encourage accountability in Congress.
• In 2019, Sen. Cruz and former Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress in the 116th Congress.

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