UPDATE: West Virginia Senate passes resolution to term limit in congress

UPDATE: CHARLESTON, WV –  The West Virginia Senate just passed a resolution calling for the states to propose a congressional term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 (SCR4), led by Senator Randy Smith, passed by a vote of 20 to 9 with 5 abstentions, receiving strong support from both sides of the aisle.

According to Sen. Smith, “Today’s vote was the right thing to do. Congress is a mess. If what’s happening now doesn’t concern you, then nothing will. This makes it so nobody can get that much power again. This is all about giving power back to the people.”

The concurrent resolution is moving swiftly through the W.V. House. Yesterday, Delegate Jeff Pack introduced HCR22 the sister resolution to the one that just passed the senate. The effort is being spearheaded by the nonpartisan, nonprofit U.S. Term Limits.

HCR22 has the bipartisan support of 43 cosponsors in the House. Nearly 60 West Virginia legislators have signed the term limits pledge promising to support the congressional term limits effort.

Last year, the measure passed the House but was prevented from receiving a floor vote in the Senate when Sen. Romano (Clarksburg) filibustered for twenty minutes running the clock out on the last day of the session.

“Today’s vital passage through the senate is vindication for the 81% of West Virginia term limits supporters who were denied a vote by Senator Romano the last session,” says USTL WV State Director Aaron Dukette. He continued, “Let Congress be on notice that the states are coming to cut off the gravy train for professional politicians in D.C.”

The companion resolution is expected to pass the lower chamber swiftly. Once it does, West Virginia will have the distinction of being among the first states in the nation to file an application for the states to convene for the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress. When 34 state legislatures pass similar resolutions on the topic, and subsequently approve the term limits amendment, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.

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Original Story – Monday, January 13, 2020:

WEST VIRGINIA (WOAY) – West Virginia State Senators want to term limit the U.S. Congress. Today, Senator Randy Smith introduced a resolution (SCR4) for West Virginia to participate in a national initiative for the states to propose a term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The effort is being spearheaded by the nonpartisan, grassroots nonprofit, U.S. Term Limits.

SCR4 has the bipartisan support of 14 cosponsors: Mike Azinger, Stephen Baldwin, Donna Boley, Charles Clements, Sue Cline, Paul Hardesty, Mark Maynard, Rollan Roberts, Patricia Rucker, Chandler Swope, Dave Sypolt, Eric Tarr, Charles Trump, and Ryan Weld. To date, nearly 60 West Virginia legislators have signed the term limits pledge promising to support our efforts.

Senator Smith says, “With the shape that our Congress is in, there has never been a better time to do this than now. Congress has too much power and is not doing its job, so we the people are going to have to get it done. They won’t fix it, so we need to fix it for them.”

The president of U.S. Term Limits, Philip Blumel commended the cosponsors of SCR4 for working together on such an important issue. Blumel said, “The people of West Virginia are lucky to have public servants who see what is going on in D.C. and are willing to take action to fix it. They know that Congress won’t set term limits on itself. Therefore, it is the obligation of the states to do so.”

The high popularity of congressional term limits is undeniable. According to the most recent poll of West Virginians conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, 83% of likely voters support this issue while only 12% do not.

SCR4 is in the process of being assigned to committees for a vote before it makes its way to the floor of the West Virginia Senate.

If passed in both the W.V. House and Senate this session, West Virginia will be among the first states in the nation to file an application for the states to convene for the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress. Once 34 state legislatures pass similar resolutions on the topic and approve the term limits amendment, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.

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