H 3501 Concurrent Resolution, By R.A. Barber, J.J. Bailey, Cato, R.C. Fulmer, 
Haskins, D.N. Holt, M.F. Jaskwhich, Keegan, Quinn and D.A. Wright
 A Concurrent Resolution petitioning the Congress of the United States to
 propose an amendment to the United States Constitution for submission to the
 states to limit the number of terms a person may serve in the United States
 House of Representatives to no greater than six and to limit the number of
 terms a person may serve in the United States Senate to no greater than two,
 or in the alternative, to call a convention for the sole and exclusive purpose
 of proposing such an amendment for submission to the states for ratification.

   02/13/91  House  Introduced HJ-7
   02/13/91  House  Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
                     Resolutions HJ-8

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

PETITIONING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION FOR SUBMISSION TO THE STATES TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TERMS A PERSON MAY SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO NO GREATER THAN SIX AND TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TERMS A PERSON MAY SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO NO GREATER THAN TWO, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, TO CALL A CONVENTION FOR THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING SUCH AN AMENDMENT FOR SUBMISSION TO THE STATES FOR RATIFICATION.

Whereas, the Congress of the United States was originally envisioned by the Founding Fathers as a nonpartisan, part-time legislative body whose members would take time from their normal businesses and professions to attend the congressional session for four to five months annually; and

Whereas, the press of the nation's business has forced the Congress to become increasingly a highly-structured, professional, and hierarchial institution rather than an informal, flexible gathering of citizens and legal intellects that was obtained in the Federalist Era; and

Whereas, the power of the incumbency has grown over time and with the institution of electronic media to the point that the incumbent is nearly unassailable in any normal election; and

Whereas, the seniority system in the Congress, though recently reformed, still places disproportionate stress on electoral longevity; and

Whereas, innovative ideas and rejuvenated vigor are more likely to come to the Congress through new members fresh from association with the American people; and

Whereas, the most common complaint that the public makes about congressional service is that Congressmen spend more of their time running for office than attending to their duties; and

Whereas, the power of incumbency makes biennial congressional elections an expensive, exasperating, and, ultimately, rather meaningless waste of each Congressman's time and talents; and

Whereas, under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, an amendment to the Constitution may be proposed by the Congress, or on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, the Congress shall call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing an amendment, which, in either case, shall become part of the Constitution when ratified by three-fourths of the several states. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the Congress of the United States is hereby petitioned to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, for submission to the states for ratification, to limit the number of terms a person may serve in the United States House of Representatives to no more than six and to limit the number of terms a person may serve in the United States Senate to no more than two, and to provide that such limitation shall not apply to members serving at the time this amendment becomes effective and who are re-elected; and

Be it further resolved, that alternatively, effective July 1, 1991, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina makes application to the Congress of the United States to call a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, for submission to the states for ratification, to limit the number of terms a person may serve in the United States House of Representatives to no greater than six and to limit the number of terms a person may serve in the United States Senate to no greater than two and to provide that such limitation shall not apply to members serving at the time this amendment becomes effective and who are re-elected; and

Be it further resolved, that if the Congress proposes and submits to the states for ratification, within sixty days after the legislatures of two-thirds of the states have made application for such convention, an amendment to the Constitution of the United States similar in subject matter to that contained in this resolution, then this application for a convention shall no longer be of any force or effect; and

Be it further resolved, that this application and request be deemed null and void, rescinded, and of no effect in the event that such convention not be limited to such specific and exclusive purpose; and

Be it further resolved, that this application by the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until at least two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have made application for a similar convention pursuant to Article V, or the Congress has proposed an amendment to the Constitution of the United States similar in subject matter to that contained in this resolution; and

Be it further resolved that a certified copies of this resolution be transmitted by the South Carolina Secretary of State to the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, to the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of this state's Congressional delegation, and to the presiding officer of each house of each state legislature in the United States.