RALEIGH — N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore says a bill that cleared his chamber this month represents the nation’s only chance to impose term limits on members of Congress.
Moore, R-Cleveland, cosponsored House Joint Resolution 172, which calls for a convention of the states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of proposing a constitutional amendment that would limit congressional service.
“Congress will not do it itself,” Moore said, flagging term limits as the only major promise in then-U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 1994 Contract with America that went unfulfilled. “Those who were going to have to vote on the term limits were those who were going to be affected by it.”
Driving from Raleigh to his Kings Mountain home, Moore said by phone last week that endless congressional terms and the seniority-based leadership system lead to dysfunction and unequal representation.
“I think many Americans simply believe that Congress is broken,” he said. “There are too many career politicians. It leads to paralysis, it leads to gridlock and, often, Congress being out of touch with the people.”
He added that criticism of Congress as an institution doesn’t reflect on “some good members of Congress from our state.”
Moore said he doesn’t see the need for term limits in the General Assembly, where both representatives and senators serve two-year terms and are only in session for a portion of each year. U.S. House terms are two years, while senators serve six years at a time.
“There’s a big difference between a part-time legislature like we have and a full-time congressional seat,” he said.
A Zogby Analytics poll released in October showed 84% of likely U.S. voters strongly support or somewhat support congressional term limits. National surveys routinely show at least 75% support. Republicans are generally more likely than Democrats to endorse term limits, though the partisan breakdown fluctuates depending on which party controls Congress.
Moore cited gun control legislation, the For the People Act to overhaul voting laws, which he described as a federal takeover of state-run elections, and deficit spending as reasons to rein in federal legislators.
“What’s happening in Washington is just terrible,” Moore said. “It’s only been exacerbated by the liberal policies of President Biden and the Democrat-controlled Congress that is just spending money.”
Article V allows state-appointed delegates to propose constitutional amendments when two-thirds of state legislatures (34) call for a convention. Three-fourths of the states (38) must vote to ratify an amendment before it can take effect.
Fifteen states have passed legislation calling for an Article V convention, according to the group Convention of States Action. North Carolina is among 15 others with resolutions under consideration.
“Amending our Constitution, that’s something you don’t take lightly,” he said. “You should always be initially kind of cynical to it. Any time you start tinkering with it, you better have a good reason and you better know what you’re doing. I firmly think this is a responsible amendment.”
Noting that the same ratification requirement applies to amendments that Congress approves, Moore said fears of a “runaway convention” that makes sweeping constitutional changes are misguided.
“The framers of our Constitution created this process for exactly this purpose when the federal government is perhaps not being responsive,” he said. “It’s one of the things the framers had in mind that would protect the smaller states. It shows the wisdom and the absolute brilliance of the framers.”
HJR 172 passed the House on a 61-53 vote March 17. It now awaits action in the state Senate’s rules committee.
Rep. Ben Moss, R-Richmond voted in favor of the resolution.
Moore signed on to sponsor both HJR 172 and a similar resolution, HJR 233. While the former limits state convention delegates to consider only a term limit amendment, the latter resolution authorizes amendments to curb federal spending, limit Washington’s power and jurisdiction over state and local matters and impose term limits.
HJR 233 is bottled up in the House’s Judiciary 1 committee. Moore said he doesn’t prefer either resolution over the other, but acknowledges a more limited convention call has a stronger chance of passage.
“I do support firmly a balanced budget amendment,” he said, which HJR 233 would authorize. “We are printing money that does not exist, and we are putting this on the backs of our children and grandchildren who are going to have to pay this debt.”
William R. Toler contributed to this story.
