H.J.Res. 20 – Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit the nu…

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Updated April 13, 2026 at 11:36 PM UTC

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would set term limits for members of Congress. It would prevent anyone who has already served three terms in the House of Representatives or two terms in the Senate from being elected or appointed again. The amendment would apply to future elections and would become part of the Constitution if approved by the required majorities in Congress and ratified by the states.

Key Provisions

A person who has served three full terms as a Representative could not be elected again to the House.
A person who has served two full terms as a Senator could not be elected or appointed again to the Senate.
If a person fills a House vacancy for more than one year, that service counts as one term; if a person fills a Senate vacancy for more than three years, that service counts as one term.
Any term that began before the amendment’s ratification does not count toward the term limits.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

January 3, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 3, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

January 3, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

January 3, 2019

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.J.Res. 20 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Denver RigglemanR-VA-5 · Mar 7, 2019

Madam Speaker, my esteemed colleague, Representative Rooney, has introduced a bill, H.J. Res. 20, to limit the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve to three terms. I signed on to…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 3, 2019

IA

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. J. RES. 20

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2019

Mr. Rooney of Florida (for himself, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Massie, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, Mr. Davidson of Ohio, Mr. Zeldin, Mr. Ratcliffe, Mr. Norman, Mrs. Lesko, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Buck, and Mr. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to limit the number of terms that a Member of Congress may serve.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

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1.

No person who has served 3 terms as a Representative shall be eligible for election to the House of Representatives. For purposes of this section, the election of a person to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives shall be included as 1 term in determining the number of terms that such person has served as a Representative if the person fills the vacancy for more than 1 year.

2.

No person who has served 2 terms as a Senator shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Senate. For purposes of this section, the election or appointment of a person to fill a vacancy in the Senate shall be included as 1 term in determining the number of terms that such person has served as a Senator if the person fills the vacancy for more than 3 years.

3.

No term beginning before the date of the ratification of this article shall be taken into account in determining eligibility for election or appointment under this article.

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