Term Limits for Congress and State Officials
The president is limited to two elected terms, but members of Congress and Texas legislators can serve as long as voters keep electing them. Adding term limits for Congress would take a constitutional amendment. Supporters say limits bring fresh leadership; opponents say elections already let voters decide.
The basics
The 22nd Amendment, ratified in 1951, bars anyone from being elected president more than twice2. The Constitution sets only age, citizenship, and residency requirements for members of Congress, and it has no term limits for them1.
In U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton, decided May 22, 1995, the Supreme Court struck down an Arkansas measure that kept House members who had served three terms, and senators who had served two, off the ballot1. The Court held that states cannot add to the qualifications for Congress in the Constitution, and that Congress cannot either1. That means congressional term limits would require a constitutional amendment, which needs two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states9.
In January 2025, a proposed amendment was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would bar anyone who has served three House terms from running for the House again, and anyone who has served two Senate terms from the Senate7. Terms served before ratification would not count7.
States can limit their own officials. Sixteen states have term limits for state legislators, and six other states once had them but saw them repealed or struck down by courts3.
The idea is popular across party lines. In a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 87% of adults favored limiting the number of terms members of Congress can serve, including 90% of Republicans and 86% of Democrats8.
Key terms
- Term limit
- A legal cap on how many terms, or how many years, a person may hold an office3.
- Consecutive limit
- A limit on terms served in a row, after which a person may run again following a break; a 2025 Texas proposal used this approach6.
- Qualifications Clauses
- The parts of the Constitution that set the age, citizenship, and residency requirements for Congress, which the Supreme Court said states cannot add to1.
- Constitutional amendment
- A change to the U.S. Constitution, which requires two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states9.
In Texas
Members of the Texas House serve two-year terms and members of the Texas Senate serve four-year terms, and neither chamber has term limits4.
Proposals to change that did not advance in 2025. House Joint Resolution 44 would have limited service in the Legislature and in statewide executive offices, but it stayed in committee after it was referred on March 3, 20255. Senate Joint Resolution 4, filed in the second special session on August 21, 2025, would have limited certain state officers to two consecutive terms; no further action is recorded6.
How people see it
The strongest case for each view, in terms its supporters would recognize. We don't pick a side.
Strict limits for Congress and state officials
Supporters say long careers in office build ties to lobbyists and party leaders and make it hard for challengers to win. Short limits, such as three House terms and two Senate terms, would bring in new people with recent experience outside politics. They point to strong public support from both parties.
Limits, but longer ones
Supporters want limits that still let lawmakers build expertise, such as 12 years in each chamber. They argue this ends lifetime careers while keeping enough experienced members to handle budgets, oversight, and complex laws.
Limit leadership posts, not members
Supporters would cap how long someone can chair a committee or lead a chamber, which House Republicans have done under their own rules10. They argue this spreads power without taking away voters' ability to keep a representative they like.
No term limits; voters decide
Opponents say elections are already term limits, and voters should be free to reelect someone who serves them well. They argue forced turnover pushes out experienced lawmakers and shifts power to staff, lobbyists, and the executive branch, who stay while members rotate out.
Who decides
- U.S. Congress: Must pass a constitutional amendment by two-thirds in each chamber to limit congressional terms.
- State legislatures: Three-fourths must ratify any federal amendment; the Texas Legislature can also propose limits for Texas offices.
- Texas voters: Must approve any amendment to the Texas Constitution, including state term limits.
- City councils and city charters: Home-rule cities can set term limits for their own mayor and council through the city charter.
Questions to ask a candidate
- Do you support a constitutional amendment to limit terms in Congress? How many years would you allow?
- Should Texas legislators and statewide officials, such as the governor, have term limits?
- Would term limits apply to you, and would you pledge to follow them even if they never pass?
- How would you keep experience and expertise in government if members had to leave after a set time?
Last reviewed 2026-09-26. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.
Sources
- U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779 (1995)Library of Congress, U.S. Reports
- The Constitution: Amendments 11-27National Archives
- The Term-Limited StatesNational Conference of State Legislatures
- Frequently Asked QuestionsLegislative Reference Library of Texas
- HJR 44, 89th Legislature, Regular Session: Bill HistoryTexas Legislature Online
- SJR 4, 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session: Bill HistoryTexas Legislature Online
- S.J.Res. 1, 119th Congress (introduced January 7, 2025)GovInfo, U.S. Government Publishing Office
- How Americans view proposals to change the political systemPew Research Center
- Constitutional Amendment ProcessNational Archives, Office of the Federal Register
- 2016 Republican Party PlatformThe American Presidency Project, UC Santa Barbara