[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 118 (Thursday, July 20, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10367-S10368]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              TERM LIMITS

  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, if I may be allowed a moment or two to 
speak personally, I would like to refer to events that took place in 
the Senate yesterday and tie them back to my campaign, which is fast 
fading into memory, but some portions of which are pretty firmly etched 
in my memory as I am sure is the case with everyone here.
  During the campaign, one of the issues that was raised continually by 
my constituents was the issue of term limits, because they said they 
had the feeling that the system was so unresponsive back here in 
Washington that something had to be done structurally to shake it up. 
Knowing a little bit about the Senate and the way it worked, I 
suggested to some of my constituents that while we debated the overall 
issue of term limits, which probably will require a constitutional 
amendment, there was something else that could be done quickly without 
a constitutional amendment that could change the character and perhaps 
free up the way things are done in the Senate. Specifically, I 
suggested to my constituents that it would be a good thing if we 
limited the terms of committee chairs in this body so that someone who 
assumed a committee chair would not assume the posture of divine right 
in that circumstance and then stay there forever and ever, dispensing 
whatever favors or power goes along with that assignment.
  My constituents liked that and indeed many of them said to me as they 
came to me in the closing days of the campaign, ``We are going to vote 
for you but we want your personal pledge when you get there you really 
will work for significant change in the way business is done.''
  Of course, as you do in a political campaign, when somebody says that 
to you, you say, ``Why, of course you have my pledge that I really will 
work to see that that is done.''
  When I arrived here in January of 1993 and suggested term limits for 
committee chairs, I found a very interesting circumstance. Among my 
fellow freshmen Senators, one of whom is on the floor here today, there 
was great sympathy, there was great agreement: Yes, we need to limit 
term limits, if you will, the time of committee chairs. Among the 
freshmen Republicans, we had unanimity on that issue. But there were 
only six of us. And we were told when you have been here a little 
longer, when you understand how the system works a little better, you 
will not be quite so zealous to call for the term limits of committee 
chairs.
  Well, when I went back home, I found myself hoping people did not ask 
me, ``What have you done to carry out your campaign pledge to see to it 
that there would be some structural reform in the way the Senate does 
its business?''
  When I did get asked, I would say, ``I am trying.'' And then when 
they pressed for details, I would say, ``Well, I am in concert with all 
my fellow freshmen''--the
 Republican six, as we became finally, with the addition of Kay Bailey 
Hutchison--``We are working hard.'' And my constituents would begin to 
get that look on their face that says, ``Yeah, we heard that before. 
You're going to try to do something but, in fact, nothing is really 
going to change, and the longer you are back there, the more you are 
going to become part of the system and everything is going to stay the 
way it's always been.''

  There was another election that took place. The distinguished 
occupant of the chair was part of that, and instead of 6 Republican 
freshmen, all of a sudden we had 11 Republican freshmen. And added to 
the 6, that gave us 17, which constituted a sufficient block of the 
Republican conference that all of a sudden we were being listened to in 
ways we had not been when there were just 6 of us.
  Mr. President, as you well know, yesterday the Republicans had a 
marathon session talking about the way things should be structured in 
the Republican conference. And out of that session came an action which 
I applaud wholly; that is, the Republicans have agreed to term limit 
the chairmanship of a Senate standing committee. I wish we could amend 
the rules of the Senate itself so that it was written into the Senate 
rules and had the protection of the two-thirds requirement so that it 
could not be altered, except by a subsequent vote of 67 Senators. I do 
not think we can do that. I do not think the votes are on the floor to 
do that.
  But I can now, with a clear conscience and a smile on my face, say to 
my constituents: ``I may not have been able to work successfully to 
change the rules of the Senate, but I have joined with my colleagues in 
an effort, successfully, to term limit chairmen, at least those who are 
Republicans.''
  If I may be allowed a slightly partisan note, Mr. President, I hope 
that will be the case for many years to come; that is, that all of the 
chairs of all of the committees will be Republicans for at least as 
long as I serve in the body. In that case, our failure to change the 
Senate rules will not make any difference.
  I think the Republican conference needs to be congratulated for 
taking this step. It demonstrates a willingness to allow those of us 
who are newcomers more of an opportunity to hold positions of 
responsibility perhaps sooner than would otherwise be the case. It 
allows for fresh ideas and fresh approaches to come into the system 
more openly than would have been the case if we had stayed with the old 
rule.
  There is still much that I would like to do in the name of 
congressional reform. If I could sit down and write the rules all by 
myself, I would change a lot of the rules around here, and I have 
introduced a bill to do that. At the moment, it has only attracted a 
single cosponsor. That is one of my fellow freshmen. Maybe I could work 
to get another 10 names or so on it, but I recognize the reality of 
this place. It is going to take a little more time and maybe, Mr. 
President, another election or two before we start some of the 
fundamental restructuring of the Senate rules that I would like to see 
happen.
  But I am delighted that we have not waited for those elections to 
take place and for that time to come. In the Republican conference, we 
have moved with dispatch and, I may say, a large majority. I do not 
want to leave the impression that the decision to term limit committee 
chairs was a close one and that those of us who are freshmen or 
sophomores had a difficult time winning a very narrow victory. As we 
made our case, our more senior brethren, and on occasion sister or two, 
decided we were right and the vote was not close. The vote was 38 to 15 
saying we will, in fact, recognize the call that is out there among the 
American people to bring the procedures in this body up to date with 
modern approaches and opening it up so that those who do not want to 
make a full-time career out of service in the Senate but simply come 
here for a term or two, will, in fact, still have the opportunity to 
receive leadership assignments and represent their constituents in that 
circumstance.
  When people talk to me about the overall issue of term limits, I tell 
them in my case, you do not have to worry about it. At my age, term 
limits are built in. Some say to me, ``Well, look at the senior Senator 
from South Carolina. Maybe you will be here 20 or 30 years.'' If that 
is the case, I will be in my nineties, and I think I would rather 

[[Page S10368]]
do something else than serve in the Senate at that age.
  So, Mr. President, I appreciate the indulgence of the Senate in 
allowing me to make this comment, allowing me, if you will, to crow a 
little to my constituents back home over the fact that we have taken 
this first step that I did pledge to work toward while I was in the 
election, and express my satisfaction and gratitude to my fellow 
members of the Republican conference for this decision.
  With that, Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bennett). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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