The Missouri House has passed a resolution which would call for term limits on U.S. Congressional members.
Article 5 of the Constitution provides a pathway for it to be amended through a convention of states. Two-thirds of the states would have to pass a resolution for the gathering to take place.
The resolution specifically calls for a convention to set term limits on Congress. Some Article 5 resolutions in other states have more far-reaching goals, such as balancing the national debt.
Two-thirds of the states (38) would have to approve any Constitutional Amendment offered by a convention of states for it to become law.
The proposal in the state legislature was first approved in the Senate. It’ll have to go back to the upper chamber and be approved again to be passed by the legislature because the House made a change to the resolution. The lower chamber attached a five-year limit to the proposal.
The resolution introduced in the Senate by Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, passed the upper chamber by a 22-9 margin with no particular party divide as no votes were spread among five Democrats and four GOP members. It was approved Tuesday by the House on a 101-34 vote.
The proposal does not specify the number of terms under which Congressional members would be limited.
It reflects priorities of the group Term Limits, which is focused on restricting the amount of time U.S. Senators and House members can spend in office.
Two other groups are actively seeking approval from states to assemble for the purpose of amending the Constitution.
Convention of States (COS) has three priorities. It wants to restrain federal spending, reduce the jurisdictional reach of Congress and impose term limits on many federal seat holders, including Supreme Court justices.
The organization Americans for a Balanced Budget Amendment (ABBA) hopes to bring together a convention of states to pass a balanced budget amendment.
Efforts to call for a convention of states have picked up steam in Republican-leaning states in recent years.
Missouri became the 12th COS member last year when a resolution from Sen. Mike Kehoe,R-Jefferson City, successfully passed both chambers.
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