[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 28, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H3819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          LORD ACTON WAS RIGHT

  (Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, the growing support for term limits is a 
recognition of Lord Acton's dictum: ``Power corrupts, and absolute 
power corrupts absolutely.'' Long-term incumbency does change the 
outlook of elected officials.
  In 1969, over 25 years ago, I introduced the first term limits bill, 
the bill that launched the modern struggle for term limits. As a 
Washington State Senator, I saw that long-term service concentrated 
power in the hands of a few, thus reducing effective representation by 
the majority of the body, be it Congress or the State legislature.
  Fundamental to the idea of a citizen Congress is the principle that 
Members serve a limited time and then return home to live under the 
laws they have made.
  I support the initiative passed by the voters of the State of 
Washington establishing a 6-year term limit for Members of Congress. 
This is the mandate from the people: ``Pass a term-limit amendment on 
the Congress as we did for the Presidency.''

                          ____________________