[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 21, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3336]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR TERM LIMITS

  (Mr. BOEHNER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce to all of my 
colleagues that I intend to support our term limits section of our 
Contract With America. This is a decision that did not come easily nor 
have I taken it lightly.
  Many of my colleagues know I have long believed that term limits were 
not necessary, that the voters of our districts every 2 years could 
make that decision about whether they should send us back here or not.
  But the fact is that some 22 States now have enacted term limits, not 
by polls, not by letters, but by actually going to the ballot box and 
casting their votes in favor of it. In 1992 my district voted 
overwhelmingly by 70 percent to support term limits. I believe that I 
have to respect the judgment of those in my district.
  But when all of this became crystal clear to me was watching the 
Senate debate over the balanced budget amendment and watching the 
arrogance of six Democrat Senators who have voted for a balanced budget 
amendment 1 year ago, the identical language, thumb their nose at the 
American people.
  We, ladies and gentlemen, do not have the right to thumb our nose at 
our constituents. We have a responsibility to respect their opinions, 
and I am proud to stand here as a new supporter of the term limit 
movement in this country.


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