Trump ‘Green Lights’ Efforts to Establish Term Limits for Congress
Source: https://goo.gl/bmT5Xe
On Monday, President Trump gave the “green light” to bipartisan efforts to establish term limits for members of Congress.
This is an important move since we can’t truly #DrainTheSwamp unless we have term limits and stop creating corrupt “career politicians.”
While there’s still many hurdles and even mountains to climb, this is the kick-start needed.
President Trump on Monday offered his “full support and endorsement” to a bipartisan legislative effort to establish term limits for members of Congress.
“I recently had a terrific meeting with a bipartisan group of freshman lawmakers who feel very strongly in favor of Congressional term limits. I gave them my full support and endorsement for their efforts. #DrainTheSwamp,” Trump tweeted.
I recently had a terrific meeting with a bipartisan group of freshman lawmakers who feel very strongly in favor of Congressional term limits. I gave them my full support and endorsement for their efforts. #DrainTheSwamp
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2018
Trump endorsed term limits as a candidate in 2016, but the issue has not received significant attention since he took office. A White House spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on meeting details.
In an afternoon statement, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said that he organized a group including four other lawmakers to meet with Trump.
Fitzpatrick said the meeting occurred on Wednesday and included Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., Ro Khanna, D-Calif., Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Vincente Gonzalez, D-Texas.
“I made clear to the president that, as a former FBI special agent who oversaw the FBI’s Political Corruption Unit for the entire nation, I witnessed firsthand an undeniable correlation between the length of time in office and the instances of corruption,” Fitzpatrick said. “The lines that were very bright for elected officials on day one in office were not so bright in year seven or eight, and even less so in years 15 or 20.”
In the past, some states set term limits for members of Congress, but in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot impose restrictions on candidates for Congress other than those in the Constitution.
In October 2016, Trump said he would support a constitutional amendment to impose term limits, setting a six-year limit for the House of Representatives and a 12-year limit for the Senate.
“If I’m elected president, I will push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress,” Trump said. “Right? They’ve been talking about that for years.”
Although a popular campaign issue, there are practical difficulties, including the fact that the simplest way of establishing term limits begins with action by Congress, where about half of members would vote themselves out of a job under Trump’s previously proposed limits.