We have launched a new grassroots campaign to bring term limits to Congress and we need your help! Congress will never propose an amendment to limit its own terms. That’s why we need to use an amendment-proposing convention of the states to get it done! Across America, 87% of Republicans, 83% of Democrats and 75% of Independents support term limits on Congress. This is a fundamental American issue
that has the support of the people. The Founders included the Article V convention in the Constitution specifically to empower states to seek amendments. Tennessee can be part of the solution by passing a bill to call for the convention in the upcoming session. We are working to get the Tennessee Legislature to pass our bill so that we can be one of the required 34 state legislatures to call for this Term Limits Convention. If you support term limits on Congress, contact your member of the Tennessee Legislature today to tell them to support the Term Limits Convention. We hope we can count on your support! The first step is signing our new pledge http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51523/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16647
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Term Limits Convention a “constitutional convention” that will open up our Constitution for revisions? The Term Limits Convention is not a “constitutional convention” that covers a broad array of subjects. It is a single-issue, laser-focused effort that is only empowered to amend the Constitution for congressional term limits. Other issues are outside the scope of the Convention and thus not permitted. Amazingly, the convention option exists in the Constitution today because America’s founders knew citizens would need to correct abuses in Washington. They had first given Congress the sole ability to propose amendments, but realized that left citizens no way to bypass Congress and move to limit its power. And so the convention path was born. How does the Term Limits Convention work?
1. Two-thirds of state legislatures (34) pass bills applying for the Term Limits Convention.
2. Congress is mandated to call the Convention.
3. The Convention, which features delegates chosen by the states, proposes one or more term limits amendments.
4. Three-quarters of states (38) must ratify the amendment, either by legislature or state convention. While the high number of states may seem daunting, it’s actually a strength for term limits. No other issue garners majority support from as many diverse segments of the population. There are no party, age, race, gender or geographic divisions here. Term Limits
Since it was established in the early 1990’s, USTL has assisted in enacting and defending term limits on state legislatures in 15 states as well as Congressional term limits in 23 states. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in U. Thorton that states may not individually enact term limits on their members of congress and the popular, hard-won Congressional term limits never went into effect. USTL was and continues to be at the forefront of the term limits movement. Using the citizen initiative as its most potent tool the term limits movement is considered to be among the most successful grass roots movements in American history. To this day, voters in states and municipalities across the country are enacting and reaffirming term limit laws one election cycle after another.
