Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s suspected health scare on Wednesday has rekindled the debate on term limits for Congress.
The 81-year-old Republican, a polio survivor, paused suddenly during a news conference at the Capitol, standing silent for about 20 seconds.
He later reassured reporters he felt “fine”, attributing the pause to feeling light-headed. This incident, along with a recent episode where 90-year-old Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., seemed confused during a committee vote, has reignited conversations about the potential age and health concerns in the upper echelons of government.
Despite the president’s tenure already being limited to two terms, there is a growing push in Washington to apply similar limitations to Congress members. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has proposed a constitutional amendment limiting members of the House to three two-year terms and Senators to two six-year terms. Opponents argue that such restrictions could deprive the system of experienced and knowledgeable incumbents. However, public sentiment seems to lean towards implementing term limits; a University of Maryland poll indicates that 83% of Americans favor a Constitutional amendment on term limits for Members of Congress.
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