Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that current members of Congress would not be immediately impacted.
Sen. Ted Budd co-sponsored a joint resolution this week to impose term limits on members of Congress in an effort to end career politicians in Washington.
The resolution was filed this week and aims to add an amendment to the US Constitution that would limit representatives serving in the House to three terms, or six years, and two terms, or 12 years, in the US Senate. Budd joined 14 other Senate Republicans in sponsoring the bill.
“America’s founders always intended for our legislature to be made up of everyday citizens who temporarily serve in public office and then return home to their communities,” Budd said in a press release. “Establishing term limits through a Constitutional amendment would permanently break the cycle of career politicians and bring new voices to Washington with real-world experience from all walks of American life. Term limits will force politicians to think less about their next election and more about the next generation.”
While Budd is serving his first term in the Senate, Tillis is in his second term and will stand for reelection in 2026. In December, he confirmed his plan to run again. Though the proposed term limit amendment would block third terms for senators in the future, it would not impact Tillis or other members of Congress who have already served for several terms. Other North Carolina representatives who have served in Washington for over 10 years include Reps. Alma Adams, D-12, Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-05, Richard Hudson, R-09, and Rep. David Rouzer, R-07.
Tillis previously introduced an identical term limits resolution in 2019, when he stressed his support for term limits dating back to his time as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. He self-imposed a four-term limit while campaigning for his first term in 2006. He supported legislation that would have created term limits on the North Carolina Speaker of the House and Pro Tempore that passed the North Carolina House of Representatives.
Congress and the states have the ability to offer amendment proposals to the Constitution with two-thirds support from the body or states, but only when three-fourths (38) of the state legislatures agree to ratify the proposals would the new amendment take effect.