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HJRES 120119th CongressIntroduced
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit the number of consecutive terms that a Member of Congress may serve.
Introduced: Sep 11, 2025
Civil Rights & Justice
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to limit the number of consecutive terms a Member of Congress may serve. If ratified, it would set fixed term limits for each chamber: a Senator could serve at most two consecutive terms before needing to wait one year before becoming eligible again, and a Representative could serve at most five consecutive terms before the same one-year pause. The counting rules include specific provisions for vacancies and for terms that began before ratification. Terms served prior to ratification would not count toward these limits. The amendment would become part of the Constitution only if three-fourths of state legislatures approve it within seven years of its submission.
Key Points
- 1Senate limit: No person may be elected or appointed to the Senate after two consecutive six-year terms until one year after the end of the second term.
- 2House limit: No person may be elected or appointed to the House after five consecutive two-year terms until one year after the end of the fifth term.
- 3Vacancy rules: For counting consecutive terms, a term served to fill a vacancy does not count unless the vacancy lasts more than three years (Senate) or more than one year (House).
- 4Pre-ratification terms: Any term begun before ratification is not counted toward the term limits.
- 5Ratification process: The amendment would be valid after ratification by three-fourths of the states within seven years of its submission.
Impact Areas
Primary affected: Current and future Members of Congress (Senators and Representatives) and their electoral prospects.Secondary affected: Political parties, candidates, and potential shifts in campaign strategy and incumbency dynamics.Additional impacts: Possible changes to how vacancies are handled and how long-term leadership and committee roles may be influenced by term-limit constraints; effects would vary depending on how many incumbents are nearing or exceeding these limits at the time of ratification.
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