A first-term Congressman from northeast Wisconsin wants to impose term limits on federal lawmakers. Reid Ribble is trying to get support for a constitutional amendment that would limit those in the House of Representatives and Senate to 12 years in office.
The Sherwood Republican’s plan also changes the length of a House term from two-to-four years, to allow members to focus on their jobs instead of campaigning.
“Your member of Congress works full-time for the first year on behalf of the people. Then in the second year you move into campaign mode right away.”
Ribble’s plan also calls for grandfathering in current members of Congress so they wouldn’t be voting to end their own jobs. He says that would allow the term limits to be phased in and give the measure a better chance of passing.
To become law, the constitutional amendment has to pass the House and Senate by a two-third majority and pass referendums in at least three-quarters of the states.
Ribble says even if his amendment fails, he’ll live by his campaign promise of serving maximum of eight years.
Rick Schuh-WHBY
