Omar Bennett
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has introduced a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms. Sen. Cruz has stated that term limits are critical to fixing the issues in Washington, D.C., and that the Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve for a short period and then return home. This amendment has been reintroduced by Sen. Cruz and his colleagues multiple times, including in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment Introduced By | Ted Cruz, Rep. Ralph Norman, and Katie Britt |
| Amendment Type | Constitutional Amendment |
| Purpose | To impose term limits on members of Congress |
| Term Limit for Senators | Two six-year terms |
| Term Limit for Members of the House of Representatives | Three two-year terms |
| First Introduced | 2017 |
| Reintroduced in | 2019, 2021, 2023 |
| Cosponsors | Sens. J.D. Vance, Bill Hagerty, Cynthia Lummis, Roger Marshall, Mike Lee, Steve Daines, Todd Young, Mike Braun, Rick Scott, Josh Hawley, Tommy Tuberville, and others |
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What You'll Learn
Ted Cruz has long supported term limits
Cruz has consistently argued that term limits are critical to fixing the issues in Washington, D.C. He believes that the Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve for a short period and then return home, rather than a government controlled by entrenched politicians who are unaccountable to the American people.
In his efforts to impose term limits, Cruz has been joined by several Republican colleagues, including Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
The proposed amendment aims to limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms after its enactment. Cruz and his colleagues urge their fellow legislators to advance this amendment to the states for speedy ratification, believing that it will bring much-needed accountability to Congress and positively impact American politics.
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The amendment would limit senators to two six-year terms
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, alongside his colleagues, introduced an amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would limit senators to two six-year terms and members of the House of Representatives to three two-year terms. This proposal aims to address the issues in Washington, D.C., by holding legislators accountable to the people they serve.
Senator Cruz has been a strong advocate for term limits, reintroducing this amendment in 2025 with Senator Katie Britt and ten other Senate Republican colleagues. According to Cruz, the Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve briefly before returning home. He believes that term limits are necessary to prevent politicians from becoming entrenched in Washington and governing in a manner that is unaccountable to the American people.
Cruz's amendment proposes a significant change to the current system, where senators can serve an unlimited number of six-year terms. By limiting senators to two terms, the amendment promotes the idea of elected office as a short-term privilege for public service rather than a lifelong career. This approach aligns with the beliefs of Senator Rick Scott, who joined Cruz in introducing the amendment.
The proposed amendment has sparked discussions about the role of elected officials and the importance of remaining connected to the people they represent. Supporters of the amendment argue that it will bring much-needed accountability to Washington and positively impact American politics. However, critics might argue that term limits could lead to a loss of institutional knowledge and experienced lawmakers.
Senator Cruz's amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress, specifically limiting senators to two six-year terms, is a bold proposal aimed at increasing government accountability and ensuring legislators remain representative of their constituents. While the amendment has yet to be ratified, it continues to spark conversations about the role of elected officials and the need for term limits in American politics.
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Members of the House of Representatives would be restricted to three two-year terms
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would restrict Members of the House of Representatives to three two-year terms and U.S. Senators to two six-year terms after its enactment.
Sen. Cruz has long been a proponent of congressional term limits, having introduced a similar amendment in each of the four prior Congresses (2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023). He believes that term limits are critical to fixing the issues in Washington, D.C., and that they bring much-needed accountability to the political system. According to Sen. Cruz, the Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve for a short period and then return home, rather than a government dominated by special interests and lifelong politicians.
The amendment introduced by Sen. Cruz and his colleagues aims to address the concerns of Americans who feel that members of Congress have become out of touch and unaccountable. By limiting the number of consecutive years an individual can serve in the House of Representatives, there is an incentive to ensure that elected officials remain connected to their constituents and the realities they face in their home districts. This aligns with the belief that elected office should be a privilege of public service rather than a career choice.
The proposal for term limits in the House of Representatives has been met with support from various senators, including Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who joined Sen. Cruz in introducing the amendment. Sen. Scott emphasized the need for bold choices to put the nation back on track and acknowledged that term limits for members of the House and Senate are a great starting point. The amendment has also gained recognition from organizations like U.S. Term Limits, which presented Senator Katie Britt with an award for her commitment to supporting the amendment.
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Ted Cruz was joined by several Republican colleagues
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms after its enactment.
Sen. Cruz had previously introduced a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits in each of the four prior Congresses – in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. He first introduced a constitutional amendment mandating term limits in the 115th Congress in 2017. In 2019, he led a hearing as chairman of the Senate Judiciary’s Subcommittee on The Constitution, entitled 'Keeping Congress Accountable: Term Limits in the United States'. This examined the use of term limits as a way to break the cycle of career politicians and encourage accountability in Congress.
Sen. Cruz has said that term limits are critical to fixing the issues in Washington, D.C. He believes that the Founding Fathers envisioned a government of citizen legislators who would serve for a few years and then return home, rather than a government run by a small group of special interests and lifelong, entrenched politicians. He argues that term limits bring about much-needed accountability and that elected office should represent a short-term privilege of public service, not a career choice.
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The amendment has been reintroduced in Congress
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms after its enactment.
Sen. Cruz was joined by several Republican colleagues in introducing the amendment. These included Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
This is not the first time Sen. Cruz has introduced such an amendment. He previously introduced a Constitutional Amendment to impose term limits in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.
On January 13, 2025, Senators Katie Britt and Ted Cruz, along with ten of their Senate Republican colleagues, reintroduced the amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress. The amendment would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the House of Representatives to three two-year terms. Senator Britt stated that the amendment was one of her first actions in the 119th Congress, and she is honored to fight for reforms to get Washington working for the American people again.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Senator Ted Cruz introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress.
Senator Ted Cruz proposed limiting U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms.
Senator Ted Cruz was joined by Senator Katie Britt and other Republican colleagues, including Senators Mike Lee, Rick Scott, Rand Paul, Todd Young, and Steve Daines.
