[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 18 (Wednesday, February 12, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TERM LIMITS WILL ASSURE A SYSTEM BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF A CITIZEN 
                              LEGISLATURE

  (Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I launched the struggle for term limits in 
the Washington State Senate more than a quarter century ago. It was 
clear then and it is even more clear today that long-term service 
concentrates power into the hands of a few power brokers and thus 
reduces effective representation by the citizen legislator as 
visualized by our founders.
  Our system is based on the concept of a citizen legislature. People 
should serve a limited time in a legislative body and then return to 
live under the laws that they have passed.
  My State has passed term limits and I will abide with our three-term 
limit whether it is upheld by the court or not.

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