IA
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 37
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 Senators and Representatives may serve.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 5, 1993
Mr. MCCOLLUM (for himself, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. RAVENEL, Mr. MCMIL-
LAN, Mr. GOSS, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr.
CALVERT, Mr. KYL, Mr. POMBO, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. ALLARD, Mr.
LIGHTFOOT, Mr. SANTORUM, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. BUYER,
Mr. CRAPO, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. HOKE, Mr. TALENT, and Mr. BART-
LETT of Maryland) 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 Senators and Rep-
resentatives may serve.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol-
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
HJ 37 IH
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several
States within seven years from the date of its submission
by the Congress:
‘‘ARTICLE—
‘‘SECTION 1. The term of office of a Representative
in Congress shall be four years, except for two-year terms
as provided in this section. Immediately after the Rep-
resentatives in Congress shall be assembled for the first
term with respect to which this section applies, they shall
be divided by lot as equally as may be into two classes.
The terms of the Representatives of the first class shall
expire at the end of the second year, and of the second
class at the end of the fourth year, so that one-half may
be chosen every second year. In order to meet the require-
ments of reapportionment, all offices of Representatives
in Congress shall be open for election in years ending in
two and the same process of division into two classes de-
scribed hereinbefore shall recur upon the first assembly
of Members after each such election. The House of Rep-
resentatives shall adopt procedures to insure that the size
of the two classes of seats shall remain as equal as possible
despite changes occurring in the total number of seats in
the House of Representatives or in the apportionment of
Members among the several States.
HJ 37 IH
‘‘SECTION 2. No person who has been elected to the
Senate two times shall be eligible for election or appoint-
ment to the Senate. No person who has been elected to
the House of Representatives a total of four times, or has
been elected three times to four-year terms, shall be eligi-
ble for election to the House of Representatives.
‘‘SECTION 3. For purposes of determining eligibility
for election under section 2, only elections occurring by
reason of the expiration of the term of office of a Member
and elections to terms of office beginning more than one
year after the date of the ratification of this article shall
be taken into account.
‘‘SECTION 4. The first clause of section 2 of article
I of the Constitution of the United States is hereby re-
pealed.
‘‘SECTION 5. Section 1 shall apply with respect to
terms of office beginning more than one year after the
date of the ratification of this article. Section 2 shall take
effect when the first terms of office begin with respect to
which section 1 applies.’’.
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