House Democrat calls for term limits after McConnell freeze-up
Cami Mondeaux
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At least one House Democrat responded to reports of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) freezing up in front of reporters on Wednesday, using the incident to call on Congress to implement term limits for lawmakers and Supreme Court justices.
“For goodness sake, the family, friends, and staff of Senators Feinstein and McConnell are doing them and our country a tremendous disservice,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) said in a social media post. “It’s time for term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and some basic human decency.”
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The statement comes in response to an incident in Kentucky during which McConnell froze up for nearly 30 seconds during a press conference with reporters. Spokespeople for the Senate minority leader said McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded during the conference but that the Kentucky Republican was feeling fine.
However, an aide said he would consult with a physician before attending his next public event.
The unexpected episode marks the second time in just over a month that McConnell has displayed difficulty speaking to reporters, raising concerns among other lawmakers about his age and health fitness.
Congress members are not subject to term limits thanks to a Supreme Court decision in 1995 that ruled citizens could not impose term limits through state laws, meaning lawmakers would need to pass a constitutional amendment in order to implement limits. However, doing so would require two-thirds support in both the House and Senate as well as three-fourths support of all state legislatures, something Phillips said would be unlikely.
“While a huge majority of Americans (including me) favor term limits, it would require amending our Constitution and [Congress and state legislatures] all voting against their own self interests,” he said. “You think that’s gonna happen?”
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Although Congress has not voted on term limits since 1995, the issue has taken on new significance this Congress after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) made an agreement to hold a related vote in exchange for support during his speakership election. The issue has also been invoked due to health concerns from some lawmakers such as McConnell and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who was absent from the Senate for months due to a shingles diagnosis.
About 83% of voters say they’d support passing a constitutional amendment to establish term limits, according to a poll by the Program for Public Consultation at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy in March. That sentiment was shared across the political spectrum, garnering support from 86% of Republicans, 80% of Democrats, and 84% of independents.