Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Article V Convention Term Limits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senator applies for Article V convention on congressional term limits; proponents and opponents debate risks
Summary
Senate Concurrent Resolution 40‑11 would ask Congress to call a limited constitutional convention to propose term limits for members of the U.S. House and Senate. Supporters said passing would pressure Congress to act; opponents warned of a "runaway" convention and cited existing applications and historical precedents.
Senator Magram introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 40‑11, a single‑subject application asking Congress to call an Article V convention limited to proposing an amendment imposing term limits on members of the U.S. House and Senate.
Senator Magram told the committee he supports an Article V convention specifically to pursue congressional term limits and said the resolution is intended to aggregate with other states' applications to reach the two‑thirds threshold that would require Congress to act. "I feel like I would be representing the people because that's what they want in this state," he told the committee.
Scott Tillman of U.S. Term Limits urged the committee to pass the resolution and argued that congressional action is unlikely without pressure from states: "Without this pressure, Congress has no incentive to limit their own terms," he testified, adding that state applications have led Congress historically to preempt conventions by proposing amendments itself.
Opponents warned of risks from a convention. Former Representative Rose Christiansen testified in opposition and urged the committee to reject SCR 40‑11. She noted a 2017 North Dakota application on file with the National Archivist that already called for a convention on term limits and argued that the Article V route is untested and carries risks that Congress or a convention could change ratification procedures or consider subjects beyond what sponsors promise. Christiansen cautioned that a convention could become a vehicle for broad constitutional revision rather than a single amendment.
Committee members questioned the scope and possible consequences. Senator Lee asked how proposed term limits would affect seniority and committee influence. Senator Magram said the convention would determine details and that supporters favor limits that would reset seniority across states.
The committee took testimony and did not take a final vote during the hearing.
