What This Bill Does
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment (a permanent change to the U.S. Constitution) that would limit how long Members of Congress can serve. The amendment would need approval from two-thirds of both the House and Senate, then ratification (approval) by three-fourths of the states within seven years to become law.
Who It Affects
People who are elected or appointed to serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate would be directly affected by term limits.
Key Provisions
• Representatives (members of the House) could not serve more than 3 terms total (Sec. 1)
• Senators could not serve more than 2 terms total (Sec. 2)
• Filling a vacancy in the House counts as one term only if the person serves for more than 1 year (Sec. 1)
• Filling a vacancy in the Senate counts as one term only if the person serves for more than 3 years (Sec. 2)
• Any terms that began before this amendment is ratified do not count toward the term limits (Sec. 3)
What Changes
If approved, people who have already served 3 terms in the House would become ineligible for reelection. People who have already served 2 terms in the Senate would become ineligible for reelection or appointment. Currently, Congress members have no legal limits on how many terms they can serve.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
Effective Date
The amendment becomes valid "when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification." Not specified in bill text when it would be submitted for ratification.
IA
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 11
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit
the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 9, 2023
Mr. NORMAN (for himself, Mr. GOLDEN of Maine, Mr. ARRINGTON, Mr.
BANKS, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina, Mr. BRECHEEN, Mr.
BUCK, Mr. BURLISON, Mr. DAVIDSON, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. FERGUSON,
Mr. FRY, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. GOOD of Virginia, Mr. HERN, Mr. LATURNER,
Ms. MACE, Mr. MANN, Mr. MASSIE, Mr. MAST, Mr. MILLS, Mr. MOORE
of Alabama, Mr. NEHLS, Mr. PERRY, Mr. SELF, Mr. WILLIAMS of New
York, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. LALOTA, Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania, Mr.
SANTOS, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. CLOUD, Mr. TIMMONS, Mr.
MORAN, Mr. NUNN of Iowa, Mr. PALMER, Mr. COMER, Mrs. LESKO, Mr.
ROY, Mrs. MILLER of Illinois, Mr. ZINKE, Mr. LAHOOD, Mrs. CAMMACK,
and Mrs. FISCHBACH) submitted the following joint resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States to limit the number of terms that a Member
of Congress may serve.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
1
of the United States of America in Congress assembled
2
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol-
3
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
4
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all
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•HJ 11 IH
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
1
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several
2
States within seven years after the date of its submission
3
for ratification:
4
‘‘ARTICLE —
5
‘‘SECTION 1. No person who has served 3 terms as
6
a Representative shall be eligible for election to the House
7
of Representatives. For purposes of this section, the elec-
8
tion of a person to fill a vacancy in the House of Rep-
9
resentatives shall be included as 1 term in determining
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the number of terms that such person has served as a Rep-
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resentative if the person fills the vacancy for more than
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1 year.
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‘‘SECTION 2. No person who has served 2 terms as
14
a Senator shall be eligible for election or appointment to
15
the Senate. For purposes of this section, the election or
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appointment of a person to fill a vacancy in the Senate
17
shall be included as 1 term in determining the number
18
of terms that such person has served as a Senator if the
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person fills the vacancy for more than 3 years.
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‘‘SECTION 3. No term beginning before the date of
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the ratification of this article shall be taken into account
22
in determining eligibility for election or appointment under
23
this article.’’.
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Æ
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