Time for Republicans to move on from term limits - Roll Call

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Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe isn’t the oldest senator. But the 86-year-old Republican was just reelected in 2020, which means he’ll be serving in congress into his 90s. Republican Richard Shelby of Alabama, 86, just announced he won’t seek reelection. So he’ll be gone before he reaches 90. Eighty-seven-year-old Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, has not announced whether he’ll run again. Of course, many of the elderly senators have their faculties but anyone who has been covering the Hill knows of members who have served past their prime. 

“Someone who is in his or her 80s brings experiences to the table, to the debate, that no one else can bring,” added Hawkings, about the diversity of ages and tenures in a Congress without limits. “It’s one of the few things that keeps Congress really interesting; the mix of people with too much and too little experience.”

If the term-limiting crowd really wants to get serious about cracking down on career politicians, they should embrace a resign-to-run law, similar to what is in place at the state level in five states. Members of Congress couldn’t neglect the job they were elected to do and use it as a springboard for higher office. Under such a law, if a senator is not in his or her final year in office, they’d need to resign before running for president, hypothetically. Then we’d see who is serious about legislating, or campaigning. 

All of these measures would likely face a similar fate: defeat. They would require a constitutional amendment, which would require two-thirds support in Washington and in the states. That would mean two-thirds of the members of Congress voting to limit their current power and state legislators voting to limit the future power they hope to hold.

Paul V. Fontelo contributed to this report.

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Time for Republicans to move on from term limits - Roll Call
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