In Indianapolis, IN, a significant development in the ongoing effort to introduce term limits to the U.S. Congress has unfolded. The Indiana House Judiciary Committee successfully passed House Joint Resolution 3 (HJR3), a proposal advocating for a congressional term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Led by Representative Dave Hall and championed by the nonpartisan nonprofit U.S. Term Limits, the resolution secured a notable victory with 8 yeas and 3 nays. The next step is the expected scheduling of a vote on the full House floor in the coming days.
U.S. Term Limits’ President, Philip Blumel, expressed gratitude for the commitment of Indiana’s public servants, stating, “The people of Indiana are lucky to have public servants who see what is going on in D.C. and are willing to take action to fix it. They know that Congress won’t set term limits on itself. Therefore, it is the obligation of the states to do so.”
Micah Beckwith, the state chair for Indiana, commended the House Judiciary Committee, saying, “I’m proud of the House Judiciary Committee for passing HJR3 today. Hoosiers all around the state demand that we have term limits on Congress. I’m eager to see the resolution pass through the floor very soon.”
The sentiment among the people of Indiana aligns with this effort. According to the latest RMG Research poll, a significant 76% of likely voters in Indiana support term limits on Congress. This support extends across party lines, with strong backing from Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike.
HJR3 boasts bipartisan sponsorship and has garnered support from over sixty legislators who have pledged to back the term limits initiative. If the measure successfully passes both chambers, Indiana will emerge as a trailblazer among states, filing an application for a convention exclusively focused on proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress.
The road ahead involves gaining similar resolutions from 34 state legislatures and subsequent approval of the term limits amendment. Ultimately, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution. With each step, Indiana inches closer to ushering in a new era of citizen legislators and restoring trust in the democratic process.
