Senator McCormick Proposes Term Limits
by Dan Doyle
In a move aimed at reshaping the structure of American legislative service, Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) introduced a joint resolution this week that would impose term limits on members of Congress. The proposal seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution to restrict Senators to two six-year terms and House Members to six two-year terms, effectively capping service in either chamber at 12 years.
McCormick, a first-term Senator and former business executive, framed the initiative as a necessary reform to revitalize a stagnant Washington.
“Our Founding Fathers never imagined that Congress would become an institution filled with career politicians who stay on well past retirement age,” McCormick said in a statement. “We need constant change and new blood for our democracy to work, and it is my hope that this resolution can help Washington begin to work again for the American people.”
The proposed amendment would not retroactively apply to current officeholders prior to the 118th Congress, ensuring that existing members would not be impacted by the term restrictions.
The resolution mirrors one introduced in the House by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), a longtime proponent of term limits.
“Elected office was never meant to be a lifetime position—it’s a calling to serve, not a career to keep,” Fitzpatrick said. “Term limits are a common-sense reform to curb careerism, restore accountability, and realign our government with the citizen-led model our Founders envisioned.”
The move comes amid growing public concern over the age and tenure of congressional lawmakers. The 119th Congress, convened earlier this year, is the third oldest in U.S. history. According to recent data, more than one-third of Senators are aged 70 or older. The average age of a Senator is now nearly 64—up 11 years from 1981—while the average House Member is almost nine years older than their early 1980s counterparts.
Additionally, the average tenure in the Senate now exceeds 11 years, and House Members have served an average of 8.6 years—both figures reflecting a steady upward trend in congressional longevity over the past century.
Term limits have long been a politically popular idea among voters, though efforts to pass constitutional amendments enforcing them have historically faced steep legislative hurdles. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
Despite the uphill battle, McCormick and Fitzpatrick say the push for term limits is a step toward restoring public trust and accountability in government.
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Delaware Valley News.com Dave McCormick speaks in Doylestown.
“This isn’t about punishing those who serve,” McCormick emphasized. “It’s about ensuring our government remains a reflection of the people it serves—dynamic, diverse, and in tune with the times.”
Whether the resolution gains the necessary momentum on Capitol Hill remains to be seen, but it has already ignited fresh debate over the future of American political leadership—and how long that future should last for any one lawmaker.