[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS AMENDMENT

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                               speech of

                             HON. BOB RILEY

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 1997

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill joint resolution 
     (H.J. Res. 2) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of 
     the United States with respect to the number of terms of 
     office of Members of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives:

  Mr. RILEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my support for term 
limits.
  When our Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution, they envisioned a 
citizen legislature of the people, not a lifeline for career 
politicians.
  Congress ought to be an institution that encourages individuals to 
come to Washington for a short period of time and subsequently return 
back to their local communities.
  By enacting term limits we will return the power of Government back 
to the people, which is exactly where it belongs.
  In my opinion, our current system fosters a class of professional 
politicians who entrench themselves in office by utilizing the powers 
of incumbency.
  Let's put politics and bickering aside for a day and pass meaningful 
term limits legislation on a bipartisan basis.
  Seventy-five percent of all Americans support term limits. Twenty-
four States have approved term limit measures.
  It's time for us to put the people back in charge and restore our 
constituents faith in Congress as an institution.
  We can do this by sending a clear signal that the House of 
Representatives and the U.S. Senate will no longer be home to the out 
of town and the out of touch.
  I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of term limits today.

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