Rep. Bresnahan joins bipartisan effort to create Congressional term limits

WILKES-BARRE — U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. on Thursday said public office should not be seen as a lifelong career, but as a service to the community and country.

“Term limits allow for more discussion and new ideas in Congress,” said Rep. Bresnahan, R-Dallas Township. “As a younger member, I have seen how representation from the younger generations is lacking, and term limits would allow for these new generations to voice their opinions in an elected capacity.”

Rep. Bresnahan announced his co-sponsorship of H.J.Res.12 — an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to limit the number of terms a Member of Congress may serve.

Those serving in the House of Representatives would be limited to serving three terms.

“I am proud to serve as the Representative for Pennsylvania’s 8th Congressional District, and I take great pride in advocating for my home in Congress,” Rep. Bresnahan said. “This is not a career for me, but rather a chance to give back to the community that raised me.”

If ratified, Rep. Bresnahan said this amendment would limit those serving in the House of Representatives to three terms, and those serving in the Senate would be limited to two terms.

U.S. Senators serve six-year terms; House members serve two-year terms.

In order to ratify a Constitutional amendment under Article V of the Constitution, Rep. Bresnahan said both chambers of Congress may propose an amendment by a vote of two-thirds of all Members present. The proposed amendment then must be ratified by the states as prescribed in Article V and as specified by Congress.

According to the Pew Research Center, an overwhelming majority of adults — 87% — favor limiting the number of terms that members of Congress are allowed to serve.

Read the full text of the bill at https://www.congress.gov/119/bills/hjres12/BILLS-119hjres12ih.pdf.