H 3277 Session 111 (1995-1996)
H 3277 Concurrent Resolution, By Klauber, Allison, B.D. Cain, Cotty, Davenport,
Easterday, Harrison, R.J. Herdklotz, Keegan, Knotts, Limehouse, Meacham, Quinn,
Rice, Riser, Robinson, Seithel, Simrill, R. Smith, Stille, Trotter, Wilder,
Wilkins, Witherspoon and W.J. Young
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.
01/18/95 House Introduced HJ-12
01/18/95 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-13
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, 1995,
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 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.
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