IA

103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 51

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

for four-year terms for Representatives and to limit the number of

terms Representatives may serve.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

Mr. STUMP 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 provide for four-year terms for Representatives

and to limit the number of terms Representatives may

serve.

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

6 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
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1 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several

2 States within seven years from the date of its submission

3 by the Congress:

4 ‘‘ARTICLE—

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

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

7 as provided in this section. Immediately after the Rep8 resentatives in Congress shall be assembled for the first

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

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

11 The terms of the Representatives of the first class shall

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

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

14 be chosen every second year. In order to meet the require15 ments of reapportionment, all offices of Representatives

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

17 two and the same process of division into two classes de18 scribed hereinbefore shall recur upon the first assembly

19 of Members after each such election. The House of Rep20 resentatives shall adopt procedures to insure that the size

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

22 despite changes occurring in the total number of seats in

23 the House of Representatives or in the apportionment of

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

2 House of Representatives a total of four times, or has been

3 elected three times to four-year terms, shall be eligible for

4 election to the House of Representatives.

5 ‘‘SECTION 3. For purposes of determining eligibility

6 for election under section 2, only elections occurring by

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

8 and elections to terms of office beginning more than one

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

10 be taken into account.

11 ‘‘SECTION 4. The first clause of section 2 of article

12 I of the Constitution of the United States is hereby re13 pealed.

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

15 terms of office beginning more than one year after the

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

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

18 which section 1 applies.’’.

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