Enacting federal term limits
Enact federal term limits.
Occurrences
Evidence
Eric Burlison signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge for "an amendment to term limit Congress" and the pledge states he will "cosponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits amendment of three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms."
Congress.gov shows H.J.Res.11 was introduced on January 9, 2023 and later had its "Motion to Report Measure Defeated by the Yeas and Nays:: 17 - 19" on September 28, 2023. Burlison is listed among the cosponsors in the bill text and history.
The official text states the resolution would amend the Constitution to limit Representatives to three terms and Senators to two terms.
The Missouri Senate press release says Burlison presented SCR 25, which called for an Article V convention of the states to impose term limits on members of Congress, and Burlison said an Article V convention was "the only way" to achieve congressional term limits.
Latest Action: House - 09/28/2023 Motion to Report Measure Defeated by the Yeas and Nays:: 17 - 19. Tracker: Tip This bill has the status Introduced.
Rep. Burlison [R-MO-7] is listed among cosponsors, while the bill's Latest Action remains: House - 01/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Tracker: Tip This bill has the status Introduced.
Congress.gov shows Eric Burlison as a cosponsor of H.J.Res.12 on 2025-01-13, and the bill's latest action remains its 2025-01-06 referral to the House Judiciary Committee; its status is still Introduced.
Congress.gov records that H.J.Res.11, which Burlison cosponsored, had its motion to report defeated in House Judiciary on 2023-09-28 by a vote of 17-19, leaving the measure only introduced and unpassed.
Assessments
Burlison publicly promised congressional term limits and then materially pursued that goal by cosponsoring constitutional amendment resolutions in Congress, including H.J.Res.11 in the 118th Congress and H.J.Res.12 in the 119th Congress. But neither measure was enacted: H.J.Res.11 was defeated in House Judiciary on September 28, 2023, and H.J.Res.12 remained only introduced and referred to committee as of January 2025. Because the promised federal term limits were not enacted, the promise was not delivered. Since he made a serious legislative effort through sponsorship support and continued advocacy, this qualifies as a failed attempt rather than inaction.
The promised outcome was to enact federal term limits, which would require a federal constitutional amendment or comparable federal enactment. Burlison did take serious action consistent with the promise: he signed the term-limits pledge, cosponsored H.J.Res.11 in the 118th Congress, and continued supporting a similar amendment in the 119th Congress. However, H.J.Res.11 was defeated in committee on September 28, 2023, and the later H.J.Res.12 remained only introduced and referred to committee. No federal term-limits amendment or law was enacted, so the outcome was not delivered, though his effort merits the effort badge.
The promised outcome was to enact federal term limits. Burlison supported and cosponsored H.J.Res.11 in the 118th Congress, a concrete constitutional amendment proposal to limit House members to three terms and Senators to two terms, but the measure failed in committee and was not enacted. Because there was a serious legislative attempt but no delivered federal term-limits enactment, the promise is not fulfilled while meriting an effort badge.