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WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Some lawmakers say there should be term limits for members of Congress, even though they themselves plan to be in office longer than their proposed term limits.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a bill to limit senators to two terms in office. He also announced he’s running for a third term.
“I would love to see it enacted into the Constitution, limit all of us to two terms. And I would happily comply with that,” Sen. Cruz said.
For now, Cruz plans to remain in the Senate, but says he’ll continue to draw attention to the issue.
“Term limits are an issue that are supported by the vast majority of Americans,” Cruz furthered.
Supporters of term limits say it would ensure lawmakers answer to American voters more than the special interest groups that fund their campaigns.
Cruz’s proposal would also limit House members to three terms.
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But some congressional colleagues, such as Republican newcomer Rep. Jay Obernolte of California, disagree with Cruz.
“We have amazingly complex jobs and when you have term limits that means you have less experienced legislators,” Obernolte said.
Additionally, Rep. Lou Correa of California argues that term limits would accomplish the opposite of the intended result.
“So, who are the experts in making the decisions? Under term limits, those experts are the lobbyists and the staffers,” Correa said.
Meanwhile, California Rep. Pete Aguilar says elections already provide a system of checks and balances.
“We have term limits in place,” Aguilar said. “The voters of our districts help guide that decision.”
