[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 11 (Thursday, January 19, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1235-S1236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. THOMPSON (for himself, Mr. Ashcroft, Mr. Abraham, Mr. 
        Bond, Mr. Brown, Mr. Burns, Mr. Coverdell, Mr. Craig, Mr. 
        Faircloth, Mr. Frist, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Mack, Mr. 
        Packwood, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Thomas):
  S.J. Res. 21. A joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment 
to limit congressional terms; to the Committee on the Judiciary.


                  TERM LIMITS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

  Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. President, today, I, along with Senator Ashcroft, 
will introduce a joint resolution to impose term limits on Members of 
Congress. This legislation will limit Members of the Senate to two 
terms and it will limit Members of the House to three terms. The time 
has come to pass this legislation. It is needed and it has the 
overwhelming support of the American people. In fact, never has there 
been an idea so popular that has received so little attention by the 
U.S. Congress. It is because term limits does not have to do with 
spending other people's tax money or regulating other people's lives as 
is the case with most legislation coming out of Congress. This 
provision, term limits, hits much closer to home. It calls for 
sacrifice or at least adjustment in the lives of ourselves. At least, 
with regard to those in Congress who see the Congress as a permanent 
career. It is time that the Congress put aside the personal interest 
that individual Members might have and respond to the will of the 
people, the good of the country, as well as the good of Congress as an 
institution.
  Because term limits is not about punishing Congress or denigrating 
the institution of Congress, although it has come to the point where 
many in our society would love to do so. On the contrary. Term limits 
would strengthen and elevate Congress in the eyes of the American 
people at a time when it is most needed. Today people feel alienated 
from their Government and have concluded that Congress does not have 
the will to deal with the tough challenges that face this country in 
the future. And who can disagree with that notion. Yesterday we passed 
out of the Judiciary Committee a balanced budget amendment to the 
Constitution. I have concluded, as I think most others have, that 
passage of a balanced budget amendment is absolutely necessary if we 
are going to avoid bankrupting the next generation. The reason is that 
Congress doesn't have the political will to do what we all know is 
necessary. Therefore, we must resort to the straitjacket of a balanced 
budget amendment. It is a reflection upon us and upon our current 
system that such a straitjacket is needed. But constitutional 
amendments with regard to specific matters cannot indefinitely save us 
from ourselves. We must start developing the will that is necessary to 
face tough issues. To me that means that we must have more people 
coming into the system who view service in the U.S. Congress not as a 
permanent career but as an interruption to a career. I believe that 
term limits would more likely produce individuals who would take on the 
tough challenges, since their careers would not be at stake every time 
they did so. It would also draw them into the system and encourage more 
citizens to run for office since they would not automatically face the 
difficult uphill struggle of running against a well-entrenched, well-
financed incumbent.
  There have been many Members who have served much longer than the 
limitations of this legislation would allow. A case can be made for the 
proposition that up until recently our current system has served us 
pretty well. There is no need to argue that point. However, different 
times and different circumstances require different measures. As the 
Federal Government has grown there has been a proliferation of special 
interest groups each with their demand on the Treasury and each holding 
a carrot and a stick for every Member of Congress. The carrot is 
political and financial support. And the stick is mobilizing of their 
forces in order to try to end a Member's career. So every time a Member 
takes a tough stand for the benefit of those yet unborn, who do not 
have votes, his career is on the line. For a Member whose entire future 
is based upon indefinite continued service, these forces are too often 
overwhelming. So we now have a $5 trillion debt and a deficit that will 
start to skyrocket again in 1998. Apparently, we have decided to let 
our children and grandchildren make the tough choices. That's not being 
responsible. Surely, we are better than that. We owe it to them to take 
the measures necessary to give us the best chance of putting ourselves 
in the position to deal with such problems. That is why we need term 
limits and I urge my colleagues support.
  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, 1994 was a watershed year in America. 
Our people spoke with a clarity and intensity seldom heard in the halls 
of politics. Their voices reverberated across the continent like the 
revolutionary shot heard round the world at Lexington and Concord two 
centuries ago.
  The voters' voice was a clarion cry for revolution in Washington, 
DC--a revolution that returns the right of self-governance to the 
people.
  We, the American people, are self governing. We are free people. We 
have the right to govern ourselves. We have spilt American blood not 
only across this continent, but around the globe, to preserve our right 
to self-government.
  Fifty years ago, to win the Battle of the Bulge, commanders compelled 
the cooks, the clerks, and the corpsmen to join the front lines and to 
defend our freedom of self-governance. For victory, all had to fight, 
all were necessary, none were excluded. Well, we again must invite 
everyone to join the battle and participate in victory for self-
governance.
  Those of us who were in the trenches of politics this year heard the 
battle cry for reentry by the public into the public policy arena. The 
citizens of this Nation are determined to regain the right to 
participate in their government. They want to reopen the door to self-
governance--a door that too often has been slammed in their face. We 
must not slam it in their face again.
  The people want the right to self-governance. They want the 
opportunity to decide on term limits.
  Some say that the States can decide on term limits, but the courts 
have struck those statutes down almost uniformly. In one remaining 
case, the Arkansas case, the Attorney General, the executive branch, 
has slammed the door in the face of the people, saying they have no 
right to make such a determination; States and the people have no right 
to establish term limits, the executive branch says.
  The judicial branch considering the case is likely to slam the door, 
as well, saying the people have no right to chart the course of their 
own future, to establish limits on the terms of those of us who have 
the privilege of representing the people in making public policy 
decisions here in Washington.
  Congress, then, the last remaining branch of Government, holds the 
key to opening the door of self-governance to the people.
  Back in 1951, the Congress sent to the American people the 
opportunity to enact term limits for the President. Congress could not 
enact them, but it called upon the people to make a judgment to 
participate in the process of public policy development.
  Presidential term limits were not imposed by the Congress. The door 
of decisionmaking was swung wide for the people of this great country 
to decide whether or not they wanted term limits for the President. 
Indeed, they did decide; they participated. It was good public policy. 
They ratified the 22nd amendment. [[Page S1236]] 
  The question is not whether we will provide term limits to America. 
The question is whether or not we will allow the American people the 
privilege of participating in public policy determinations, whether we 
will let the American people decide for themselves whether or not they 
want term limits for Members of the U.S. Congress.
  I have a hint about what the American people believe and how they 
think. Twenty-two States have already overwhelmingly endorsed this 
concept. And of the States given the opportunity to make such a 
decision, the people voting in those States almost uniformly and 
without exception have endorsed the understanding that people should 
not go to Washington for an entire lifetime, but should go expecting to 
return from public service.
  The question then is, will we let the people decide or will we slam 
the door of self-governance in the face of the American people again? 
We must let the people decide.
  It is time for us to acknowledge again the principle of self-
governance. Let the people decide.
  It is time that we trust our people, the people of America, as our 
forefathers did. Let the people decide.
  Let us demolish the misleading myth that Congress exists to protect 
people from themselves. We must instead respect the reality that there 
is wisdom in the people. We must acknowledge the reality that self-
governance is not simply a politically expedient idea, it is, in fact, 
governmentally beneficial.
  The people are eager to participate in shaping the tomorrows in which 
they live and in which all of us work. They are demanding the 
opportunity to decide whether or not to limit the terms of Members of 
this body and of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  As servants of the people, we must pass a resolution on term limits 
that recognizes that term limits cannot be in the exclusive province of 
the House or Senate, but this is a decision to be reached by the 
American people. This is an opportunity for self-governance.
  They have spoken with clarity and intensity this year, saying they 
want us to reopen the door of opportunity to decisionmaking and let 
them decide. I submit that we must respond to their call; that we must 
pass a resolution on term limits and thereby let the people decide to 
enact or reject term limits as they would apply to the U.S. House of 
Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, my colleague from Missouri comes to the 
floor for his first floor statement on an issue that will not surprise 
any of his fellow Missourians, and that is a message of change.
  Change is what John Ashcroft talked about so clearly during his 
campaign, and now he is doing exactly what he told the people of 
Missouri he would do if they sent him here--to be a leader for change.
  I take great pleasure in cosponsoring this legislation for term 
limits, because I think this is a very important first step toward 
doing actually what the people so clearly indicated they wanted done 
last November 8. It is no surprise to me that John Ashcroft is leading 
the way.
  John is an old and very dear friend. I have come to know him as an 
American patriot. He believes in this country and its people. He is 
able to cut through the fog of confusion that so often surrounds public 
policy issues. Missourians know him as a plain speaker in the finest 
Missouri tradition. He knows what he believes and how to say it so 
everyone knows just exactly what he believes. We once had a President 
with the same reputation from Missouri. What John Ashcroft believes is 
shaped by an upbringing that reflects the essence of middle-American 
values, its traditions and beliefs.
  John is one of three boys raised in Springfield, MO. His family was 
modest of means, but rich in respect for their community, for each 
other, and for their God.
  Earlier this month, John's father, Dr. J. Robert Ashcroft a highly 
respected educational and religious leader, passed away after returning 
home to Missouri from witnessing John's swearing-in as a U.S. Senator 
in this Chamber. Dr. Ashcroft's passing was a great loss to Missouri, 
but his contribution, his memory, and his commitment will live on. We 
have suffered the loss along with John and his family, but we know that 
he knew his son would continue his efforts to serve, and to serve his 
fellow man. We all give thanks for Dr. Ashcroft's life and the many 
lives which he touched while he was with us.
  John Ashcroft has served as Missouri's State auditor--he followed me 
in that job--and then he served as attorney general, following John 
Danforth. He followed me as Governor. He understands State government 
and its relationship with the Federal Government. He also knows 
something about cleaning up the problems that have been left behind.
  At a time when Congress will reexamine the relationship and hopefully 
return much of the decisionmaking back to the States, Americans will 
have no better leader than John Ashcroft.
  So we hear today from a plain-spoken Missourian what will undoubtedly 
be the first of many clearly reasoned, morally grounded floor speeches 
from our good friend, John Ashcroft.
  I would say that our fellow Senators will understand very well his 
contributions. We value John Ashcroft's friendship. We welcome him and 
his wife, Janet, to Washington. I am confident that all my colleagues 
will come to know and respect him as I have. It will be a great and 
very meaningful friendship for all Members.
                                 ______