Bills · HJRES 120
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House Joint Res.HJRES 120Congress
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit the number of consecutive terms that a Member of Congress may serve.
INTRO SEP 11· LAST ACTION SEP 11
READING
2MIN
COSPONSORS
1
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it addresses a long-standing debate about the benefits and drawbacks of 'career politicians.' If it becomes law, it would fundamentally change the composition of Congress over time by ensuring a regular infusion of new blood and ideas. This could lead to a legislative body that is more responsive to current trends and less beholden to long-established power structures.
Without this bill, members of Congress can continue to serve for decades, accumulating significant power and experience, but potentially becoming disconnected from the daily lives of their constituents. The proposed change aims to balance the need for experienced leadership with the desire for fresh perspectives and greater accountability, potentially changing how policies are debated and passed in Washington.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Proposes a Constitutional Amendment to limit consecutive terms for Senators to two (12 years) and Representatives to five (10 years).
This sets specific numerical limits on how long a person can serve in each chamber of Congress without a mandatory break, directly changing the eligibility rules for federal office.
PROVISION 02
Requires a one-year break after reaching the consecutive term limit before a person can be eligible for election or appointment to that same chamber again.
This ensures that a person cannot immediately return to office after hitting their consecutive term limit, enforcing a period of time away from their congressional seat.
PROVISION 03
Specifies that terms served to fill a vacancy generally do not count towards the consecutive term limit, unless the vacancy period exceeds three years for a Senator or one year for a Representative.
This clarifies how partial terms are treated, ensuring that people who briefly fill a vacancy are not penalized by having it count fully towards their consecutive term limits.
PROVISION 04
States that any term served before the amendment's ratification date will not be included in determining a person's consecutive terms.
This provision ensures that the term limits would only apply to service occurring after the amendment becomes law, preventing retroactive application to current members' prior service.
PROVISION 05
The amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures within seven years after its submission for ratification to become part of the Constitution.
This outlines the specific and difficult process required for this proposal to actually become law, highlighting that it needs broad state-level support.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 1
D· Rhode Island
YRS IN OFFICE
3
BILLS LED
27
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 1 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSSEP 11
Introduced in House
SEP 11
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Joint Resolution
NumberHJRES 120
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedSep 11, 2025
Last actionSep 11, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED SEP 11, 2025
House Joint Res.HJRES 120Congress
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit the number of consecutive terms that a Member of Congress may serve.
INTRODUCED SEP 11, 2025· LAST ACTION SEP 11, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
2 min
COSPONSORS
1
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
