[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 43 (Thursday, March 18, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE CALLS FOR FOUR-YEAR HOUSE TERMS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. LEE TERRY

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 18, 1999

  Mr. TERRY. Mr. Speaker, on March 3, 1999, the Nebraska Unicameral 
Legislature passed Legislative Resolution No. 10. The resolution 
petitions Congress to amend the Constitution to increase the terms of 
members of the House of Representatives to four years.
  This is a matter that merits serious debate and consideration. I call 
the text of the Resolution to the attention of my colleagues, as 
follows:

         Nebraska Unicameral Legislature, Ninety-Sixth 
           Legislature,
                                       Lincoln, NE, March 4, 1999.
     Hon. Lee Terry,
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Terry: I have enclosed a copy of engrossed 
     Legislative Resolution No. 10 adopted by the Nebraska 
     Unicameral Legislature on the third day of March 1999. The 
     members of the Legislature have directed me to request that 
     the petition be entered into the Congressional Record.
       Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may 
     have regarding Legislative Resolution No. 10.
       With kind regards.
           Sincerely,
                                             Patrick J. O'Donnell,
                                         Clerk of the Legislature.
       Enclosure.
                                  ____


   Ninety-Sixth Legislature, First Session, Legislative Resolution 10

       Whereas, members of and candidates for the United States 
     House of Representatives are elected every two years 
     virtually requiring continual campaigning and fundraising; 
     and
       Whereas, the delegates to the 1788 Constitutional 
     Convention discussed whether the term of office for a 
     representative should be one year or three years and 
     compromised on a two-year term; and
       Whereas, communications systems and travel accommodations 
     have improved over the last two hundred years which allows 
     quicker and easier communication with constituents and more 
     direct contact;
       Whereas, the American people would be better served by 
     having the members of the House of Representatives focus on 
     issues and matters before the Congress rather than constantly 
     running a campaign; and
       Whereas, a biennial election of one-half of the members of 
     the House of Representatives would still allow the American 
     people to express their will every two years: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved by the members of the Ninety-Sixth Legislature of 
     Nebraska, First Session:
       1. That the Legislature hereby petitions the Congress of 
     the United States to propose to the states an amendment to 
     Article I, section 2, of the United States Constitution that 
     would increase the length of the terms of office for members 
     of the House of Representatives from two years to four years 
     with one-half of the members' terms expiring every two years.
       2. That official copies of this resolution be prepared and 
     forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 
     President of the Senate of the Congress of the United States 
     and to all members of the Nebraska delegation to the Congress 
     of the United States, with the request that it be officially 
     entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the 
     Congress of the United States.
       3. That a copy of the resolution be prepared and forwarded 
     to President William J. Clinton.

     

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