John James pushes bills to put age and term limits on elected officials

September 13, 2023 03:41 PM

Rep. John James (R-MI) is encouraging Congress to support four bills and resolutions to place additional accountability measures on leaders in Washington.

With Congress back in session, James is pushing his “D.C. Accountability Package,” which seeks to increase checks on the executive branch, creates a mandatory retirement age for lawmakers, and sets new paycheck guidelines.

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James, who narrowly beat his Democratic opponent in 2022 and represents Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, said his bills are a step toward pushing “government to function with the efficiency of the private sector” in a press release.

The Money Where Our Mouths Are Act would prevent members of Congress from getting paid in the event of a government shutdown.

“In the real world, employees who don’t do their jobs don’t get paid; D.C. should be no different,” the press statement reads.

The Republican representative introduced two resolutions targeting retirement age and limiting lawmakers’ terms. The RETIRE Resolution — which stands for “Relaxation, Enjoyment, Time for Inner Reflection, and Exploration” — proposes a constitutional amendment to impose age limits barring candidates who are 75 years old and older from running for president, vice president, Senate, or Congress.

The New Generation Resolution would create an amendment issuing term limits for senators and representatives to no more than 18 years.

The last proposal would give the president more control over who is considered “career” staff by bringing back the Schedule F appointment, which stemmed from an executive order under former President Donald Trump. The Federal Accountability Imperative to Reform, or FAIR, Hiring Act would “hire and promote high performers, separate poor performers.”

“The world isn’t getting slower; it’s getting faster,” James said. “The world isn’t getting safer; it’s getting more dangerous. That’s why it’s essential that our government, elected officials, and administrative offices are firing on all cylinders. As the former CEO of my family’s small business, I learned that if you don’t modernize, innovate, and stay competitive, you won’t keep up.”

The call for term limits and retirement age restrictions has increased among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle after older Congress members have experienced recent medical episodes. Ninety-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the oldest member of Congress, was hospitalized after a fall, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 81, recently froze up on camera for the second time this year.

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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called for term limits and mental competency tests for lawmakers over 75. The former United Nations ambassador pointed to Feinstein, McConnell, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as examples on CBS’s Face the Nation, asking, “At what point do they get it’s time to leave?”

A majority of people, 77%, believe there should be “maximum age limits for elected officials,” according to a CBS News/YouGov survey, with 45% of respondents reporting the age limit should be maxed at 70 years old.

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