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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 203

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit

terms of Representatives and Senators and to place requirements on

Representatives who seek election to the Senate.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 26, 1993

Mr. HOKE (for himself, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. COPPERSMITH, Mr. WILSON,

Mr. MCKEON, Mr. HOEKSTRA, and Mr. SMITH of Michigan) introduced

the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the

Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United

States to limit terms of Representatives and Senators

and to place requirements on Representatives who seek

election to the Senate.

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled

3 (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol4 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con5 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all
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1 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when

2 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several

3 States within seven years after the date of its submission

4 for ratification:

5 ‘‘ARTICLE—

6 ‘‘SECTION 1. The term of office of a Representative

7 in Congress shall be four years, except for two-year terms

8 as provided in this section. Immediately after the Rep9 resentatives in Congress shall be assembled for the first

10 term with respect to which this section applies, they shall

11 be divided by lot as equally as may be into two classes.

12 The terms of the Representatives of the first class shall

13 expire at the end of the second year, and of the second

14 class at the end of the fourth year, so that one-half may

15 be chosen every second year. In order to meet the require16 ments of reapportionment, all offices of Representatives

17 in Congress shall be open for election in years ending in

18 two and the same process of division into two classes de19 scribed hereinbefore shall recur upon the first assembly

20 of Members after each such election. The House of Rep21 resentatives shall adopt procedures to insure that the size

22 of the two classes of seats shall remain as equal as possible

23 despite changes occurring in the total number of seats in

24 the House of Representatives or in the apportionment of

25 Members among the several States.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 2. No person who has been elected to the

2 Senate two times shall be eligible for election or appoint3 ment to the Senate. No person who has been elected to

4 the House of Representatives a total of four times, or has

5 been elected three times to four-year terms, shall be eligi6 ble for election to the House of Representatives.

7 ‘‘SECTION 3. For purposes of determining eligibility

8 for election under section 2, only elections occurring by

9 reason of the expiration of the term of office of a Member

10 and elections to terms of office beginning more than one

11 year after the date of the ratification of this article shall

12 be taken into account.

13 ‘‘SECTION 4. No Representative may, except in the

14 final year of that Representative’s current term of office,

15 qualify under applicable State law as a candidate for the

16 United States Senate, unless the Representative has re17 signed from the office of Representative.

18 ‘‘SECTION 5. Section 1 shall apply with respect to

19 terms of office beginning more than one year after the

20 date of the ratification of this article. Section 2 shall take

21 effect when the first terms of office begin with respect to

22 which section 1 applies.’’.

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