State Rep. Chris Todd has pre-filed a resolution (HJR8) for Tennessee to join other states in calling for a convention for proposing a congressional term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The effort is spearheaded by the nonpartisan, grassroots nonprofit, U.S. Term Limits.
The news comes as a new RMG Research poll released two weeks ago shows 78 percent of likely voters in Tennessee support term limits on Congress, including support among Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike.
Dozens of members of the legislature have gone so far as to sign a pledge to co-sponsor Rep. Todd's legislation, his office said.
Rep. Todd said, "Now, more than ever we see the need for limiting the terms of the US Congress. You would be hard-pressed to adequately defend the loss of new ideas and vision we all observe and the potential corruption that comes with them at that level."
U.S. Term Limits President Philip Blumel commended Rep. Todd for putting forth the legislation. Mr. Blumel said, “The people of Tennessee are lucky to have public servants who see what is going on in D.C. and are willing to take action to fix it. They know that Congress won't set term limits on itself. Therefore, it is the obligation of the states to do so.”
HJR8 is in the process of being assigned to committee for a vote before it makes its way to the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
If passed in both the House and Senate this session, Tennessee will join other states in the call to convene the states for the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress. Once 34 state legislatures pass similar resolutions on the topic and approve the term limits amendment, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.