What This Bill Does
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would limit how long members of Congress can serve in back-to-back terms. The amendment would need approval from two-thirds of both the Senate and House, then ratification by state legislatures in three-fourths of all states within seven years to become part of the Constitution.
Who It Affects
Senators and Representatives in the U.S. Congress.
Key Provisions
• Senators would be prohibited from serving more than two consecutive terms, then must wait until the second Congress begins after their term ends before becoming eligible again (Sec. 1)
• Representatives would be prohibited from serving more than six consecutive terms, then must wait until the second Congress begins after their term ends before becoming eligible again (Sec. 2)
• Members who currently serve during the One Hundred Eighteenth Congress would be exempt from term limits and could serve an unlimited number of consecutive terms, but would face a waiting period after their final consecutive term ends (Sec. 1 and Sec. 2)
• Terms served to fill a vacancy (an empty seat) would not count toward the consecutive term limit unless the vacancy period lasts longer than three years for a Senator or longer than one year for a Representative (Sec. 3)
What Changes
If ratified, this amendment would change the Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress, with an exemption for those currently serving.
Important Definitions
"Consecutive terms" means serving back-to-back terms without a break.
IA
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 20
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit
the number of consecutive terms that a Member of Congress may serve.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 12, 2023
Mr. VAN ORDEN 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 consecutive 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
5
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
6
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several
7
States within seven years after the date of its submission
8
for ratification:
9
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‘‘ARTICLE —
1
‘‘SECTION 1. No person who has been a Senator for
2
two consecutive terms shall again be eligible to serve as
3
a Senator until the second Congress that begins after the
4
end of such second consecutive term. Notwithstanding the
5
previous sentence, a person who is a Senator during the
6
period beginning with the One Hundred Eighteenth Con-
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gress may serve as a Senator for an unlimited number
8
of consecutive terms, but shall not again be eligible to
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serve as a Senator until the second Congress that begins
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after the end of the person’s final consecutive term of that
11
period.
12
‘‘SECTION 2. No person who has been a Representa-
13
tive for six consecutive terms shall again be eligible to
14
serve as a Representative until the second Congress that
15
begins after the end of the sixth consecutive term. Not-
16
withstanding the previous sentence, a person who is a
17
Representative during the period beginning with the One
18
Hundred Eighteenth Congress may serve as a Representa-
19
tive for an unlimited number of consecutive terms, but
20
shall not again be eligible to serve as a Representative
21
until the second Congress that begins after the end of the
22
person’s final consecutive term of that period.
23
‘‘SECTION 3. For purposes of this article, any term
24
a person serves as a Senator or Representative to fill a
25
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•HJ 20 IH
vacancy shall not be included in determining the number
1
of consecutive terms that the person has been a Senator
2
or Representative unless the period of time for which the
3
person fills the vacancy is greater than three years in the
4
case of a Senator or greater than one year in the case
5
of a Representative.’’.
6
Æ
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