Congressman Mac Thornberry
The debate over term limits is one that has been around for ages. Senator Tom Coburn has stepped up and said he would be the first to sign the U.S. Term Limits Pledge. Coburn is a Republican who represents the Oklahoma Panhandle.
If passed, the constitutional amendment would limit House members to three consecutive 2-year terms and Senators to two consecutive 6-year terms.
The proposed Constitutional amendment would start the term limit clock with every person, incumbent or not, being treated as if he or she were running for the first time. The pledges were sent to every major party candidate for Congress nationwide.
Panhandle Congressman Mac Thornberry, said that "Voters know my position based on my voting record. I have supported several versions of term limits and voted for it every time it has come up for a vote."
In both 1995 and 1997 Term Limits Constitutional Amendment was up for a vote in the House, both times Thornberry did vote in favor of the amendment. In 1995, 227 U.S. House members voted in favor, while 204 voted no. The number of yes votes dropped slightly in 1997 with 217 voting in favor, and 211 against. Passage of a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both the U.S. House and Senate as well as ratification by three-fourths of the states.
