[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E16]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       LIMIT CONGRESSIONAL TERMS

                                 ______


                             HON. BOB STUMP

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 4, 1995
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, last November, citizens across the country 
sent a strong message to the Congress that they will no longer tolerate 
business-as-usual on Capitol Hill. This resulted in a new Congress that 
has already begun to demonstrate that it will deliver the reforms 
Americans have asked for and justly deserve. I am proud to be a part of 
this new, reform-minded body.
  One of the reforms that is foremost on the minds of Americans is 
congressional term limits. They are tired, and rightly so, of career 
politicians who are more concerned with their reelection campaigns than 
advancing a legislative agenda that is in the Nation's best interests.
  Under the current system of unlimited 2-year terms, no sooner are 
lawmakers elected to office before they are gearing up for the next 
campaign. This is no way to promote good government, and only 
contributes to the malfunctioning legislative process. Moreover, it is 
fiscally unsound. There is compelling evidence that the longer 
Congressmen stay in Washington, the more likely they are to support big 
spending programs, regardless of the public desire for budget cuts.
  In an effort to reverse this damaging trend, I am today introducing a 
resolution proposing that our Constitution be amended to limit Members 
of Congress to three 4-year terms. Under the system of limited terms I 
am offering, we would have a body of noncareer legislators who know 
that their stay in Washington is temporary. They would not be 
constantly dogged by reelection concerns and would be able to devote 
more time and attention to their legislative responsibilities and make 
the tough budget-cutting decisions that are desperately needed. This 
would go a long way toward restoring integrity and fiscal 
responsibility to the Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, when the Constitution was drafted, the Framers did not 
contemplate people making a career of politics, and history shows that 
they anticipated a good deal of turnover in Congress. I, therefore, 
urge my colleagues to join me in this effort to return the House to the 
body of citizen legislators that our Founding Fathers envisioned.




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