Government, News

West Virginia State House Passes Resolution to Term Limit Congress

   Charleston, WV — Today, the West Virginia House of Delegates passed HCR9, a resolution declaring that the state legislature seeks to join other states in proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to establish term limits on Congress. The vote of 76-20 was bipartisan and overwhelmingly in favor of passage. The effort, sponsored by state House Delegate Jeff Pack, is being spearheaded by the nonpartisan, grassroots nonprofit, U.S. Term Limits.

   “Over the past several years, we have watched Congress buckle under the leadership of career politicians who have spent 20-, 30-, 40-plus years in the Beltway,” said Pack. “There is more interest in political theater than serving We the People,” he penned in an op-ed with senate sponsor Sen. Randy Smith on February 5th.

   A 2018 poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates shows that an overwhelming 83% of West Virginia voters approve of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will place term limits on U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representatives. This includes strong support across party lines: 89% of Republicans, 77% of Democrats, and 88% of independents. Large majorities also say that Congress members stay in power for too long, and that they’re more likely to support state lawmakers who help advance congressional term limits.

   U.S. Term Limits President Philip Blumel commended the West Virginia House of Delegates saying, “The people of West Virginia 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.”

   Once the West Virginia senate passes the sister resolution SCR10, the mountain state will join other states in the call for a convention for the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress. Thirty-four state legislatures must pass similar resolutions on the topic and approve the term limits amendment before it goes to the states for ratification.