Lawmakers are divided over imposing formal term limits after recent health-related incidents brought attention to the age and fitness of senior members. Some Republicans — including Sen. Tim Sheehy and Rep. Glen Grothman — say voters should decide who serves; others, like Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Roger Marshall, back a constitutional amendment to cap terms (Cruz proposes two Senate terms and three House terms). Sen. Mark Warner urged personal judgment but did not endorse a universal rule. The conversation highlights a tension between preserving institutional knowledge and preventing entrenched power.
After High-Profile Health Incidents, Congress Is Split Over Term Limits
Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., was seen during a series of Senate votes at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Lawmakers are sharply divided over whether Congress should adopt formal term limits following recent health-related developments among senior members. Supporters say limits would prevent career politicians from concentrating power; opponents argue voters should decide who serves and that term limits would strip Capitol Hill of valuable institutional knowledge.
What's Driving The Debate
The discussion intensified after the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), 71, and renewed scrutiny of extended absences by other senior members, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), 84, and Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.), 57. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), 92, has also been cited as an example of a long-serving lawmaker whose age draws public attention.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in the Senate Subway at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
Arguments Against Term Limits
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) warned that restricting tenure would limit voter choice. "The voters will decide who they want," Sheehy said. "If they decide they want to elect an 80-year-old or 100-year-old, that's up to the voters." Rep. Glen Grothman (R-Wis.) expressed a similar sentiment, arguing constituents should be able to reelect representatives like Grassley if they choose.
"The voters will decide who they want. We have term limits, and we have age limits and that is the voter," — Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.)
Arguments For Term Limits
Other lawmakers contend that without limits, officials can accumulate power and remain in office indefinitely. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) supports a constitutional amendment to impose term limits and has proposed limiting senators to two terms and House members to three. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) also backs term limits, saying long tenures are inconsistent with the republic's original design.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) holds a press conference with families who lost loved ones in the January 29, 2025 DCA plane crash on December 15, 2025 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The bipartisan press conference addressed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) language, which changes military airspace policy.
"I've authored a constitutional amendment that would limit all senators to two terms and limit all House members to three terms," — Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Calls For Personal Responsibility
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) urged lawmakers to recognize their personal limits but stopped short of endorsing a universal rule. "People ought to know when it's time to step aside," Warner said, noting his own practice of limiting his terms in past offices to create opportunities for others.
"People ought to know when it's time to step aside. I've never been a big supporter of legislative term limits... I feel like you should make opportunities for others," — Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)
What Comes Next
The debate is likely to continue. Instituting term limits would require a constitutional amendment — a high bar that demands broad bipartisan support — while opponents warn of the trade-off between fresh leadership and the loss of experience that long-serving members provide. As public scrutiny of age and health among senior officials persists, lawmakers and voters will weigh individual fitness against democratic choice and institutional continuity.
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