Will we finally get term limits for Congress under Trump 2.0?
83% of Americans Agree, But Will Lifers in Congress Let Go?
On multiple occasions, Donald Trump has expressed support for term limits on members of Congress. Will it happen this time around? After all, it is the one thing that many on the left and the right could come together and agree on — the trouble is, will members of Congress acquiesce? Not likely, but we can be hopeful.
According to multiple sources, including recent polls, around 83% of Americans favor term limits for Congress members, with similar approval levels from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Some members have just been in Congress too long for most Americans to stomach — even if they agree with some.
Only 8% of people trust Congress. It's also no shock, of course, that 83% of Americans support term limits. That includes huge majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independent voters. So, if 83% of us want term limits, why is it not yet the law of the land?
So, while term limits are wildly popular with the American people and one we have for most elective political positions, including the President of the United States, it is not shared by those who would be removed from public office in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.
Here is a list of members of the 119th Congress who have been in office for over 10 years:
Senate:
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) - Over 43 years of combined service in the House and Senate.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) - Over 39 years in the Senate.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) - Over 32 years combined in the House and Senate.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) - Over 36 years combined in the House and Senate.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) - Over 32 years in the Senate.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) - Over 28 years in the Senate.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) - Over 33 years combined in the House and Senate.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) - Over 30 years combined in the House and Senate.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) - Over 24 years in the Senate.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) - Over 24 years combined in the House and Senate.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) - Over 18 years in the Senate.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) - Over 16 years in the Senate.
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) - Over 16 years combined in the Senate and as Governor.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) - Over 12 years in the Senate (including as an appointed senator).
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) - Over 12 years in the Senate.
House of Representatives:
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) - Over 43 years in the House.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) - Over 43 years in the House.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) - Over 37 years in the House.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) - Over 32 years in the House.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) - Over 33 years in the House.
Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) - Over 28 years in the House.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) - Over 36 years in the House.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) - Over 44 years in the House.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) - Over 42 years in the House.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) - Over 34 years in the House.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) - Over 32 years in the House.
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) - Over 30 years in the House.
Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) - Over 36 years in the House (retired after the 117th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) - Over 32 years in the House (retired after the 116th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) - Over 25 years in the House.
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) - Over 30 years in the House (retired after the 117th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) - Over 26 years in the House (retired after the 115th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) - Over 33 years in the House (passed away in 2020 but still over 10 years).
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) - Over 28 years in the House.
Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) - Over 32 years in the House (retired after the 117th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) - Over 36 years in the House (retired after the 117th Congress but still over 10 years).
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) - Over 34 years in the House (retired after the 115th Congress but still over 10 years).
Since Congress will not do it themselves, we would need a constitutional amendment for term limits to ensure that politicians serve the nation's interests rather than their own. in 2018, Trump tweeted on Twitter (now X), “I recently had a terrific meeting with a bipartisan group of freshman lawmakers who feel very strongly in favor of Congressional term limits. I gave them my full support and endorsement for their efforts. #DrainTheSwamp”
Trump has long held this position as he stated something similar in 2012, before he was president. He prompted a response from the U.S. Term Limits organization when they stated, “The American people – Republicans and Democrats alike – are fed up with the broken system in Washington. Career politicians and special interests have teamed up to cheat the public out of the democracy they deserve. Congress has become the place where new and dynamic ideas go to die. We will work together with anyone who shares the vision of bringing term limits to Congress. We invite all presidential candidates to join this movement to fix Washington by bringing career politicians home. So far, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein have endorsed congressional term limits. Hillary Clinton hasn’t stated her position on the issue.”
So, time will tell if Trump will push for this popular measure after he takes his Oath of Office on January 20, 2025.
And just for fun, let’s see how many members of Congress are over 80 years old:
Senate:
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) - 90 years old
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) - 82 years old
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) - 82 years old
Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) - 80 years old
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) - 80 years old
House of Representatives:
Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (D-Calif.) - 87 years old
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) - 87 years old
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) - 86 years old
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) - 85 years old
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) - 84 years old
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) - 83 years old
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) - 83 years old