Term Limits Group to Trump: Repealing Committee Limits a “Terrible Idea”

For immediate release

[WASHINGTON] – The nation’s oldest and largest pro-term limits group today came out against President Trump’s suggestion that term limits for GOP committee chairs should be removed. Trump tweeted Monday that “House Republicans should allow Chairs of Committees to remain for longer than 6 years. It forces great people, and real leaders, to leave after serving. The Dems have unlimited terms. While that has its own problems, it is a better way to go. Fewer people, in the end, will leave!”

“This is a terrible idea, which would allow corrupt and entrenched politicians even more control over our government” said U.S. Term Limits Executive Director Nick Tomboulides. “The President says he supports term limits for Congress. I’m beginning to think that the swamp has drained Trump.”

Republicans bowed to public pressure and created committee term limits in 1994 as a means of ensuring leadership positions be refreshed on a regular basis. U.S. Term Limits says the caucus rule guards against members accumulating too much power.

“Committee chairs wield enormous power after decades in office,” Tomboulides said. “These members have to raise the most money and effectively bribe their party to stay in their roles, which creates opportunity for abuses while stymieing fresh faces and ideas.”

During the 2016 campaign, Trump endorsed a constitutional amendment for term limits on Congress. He reiterated his support in a 2018 tweet. If he is now reversing his position on term limits, as it appears, that will pose a problem with many voters. According to a 2018 McLaughlin & Associates poll, 82% of Americans favor term limits on Congress. This includes 89% of Republicans, 76% of Democrats and 83% of Independent voters.

“The President is being fooled by the professional politicians who don’t want any type of term limits at all”, Tomboulides adds. “Allowing individual members of Congress to rule over important committees for a generation is a bad idea. He should continue to stand with the vast majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents and support term limits.”

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U.S. Term Limits is the largest grassroots term limits advocacy group in the country. We connect term limits supporters with their legislators and work to pass term limits on all elected officials, particularly on the U.S. Congress. Find out more at termlimits.org.