Political Quotes

“I rise today as an incoming subcommittee chairman to strongly support term limits for all committee and subcommittee chairs. As with all reform measures before Congress, it is essential for us to lead by example. Most Americans support term limits. My home State of Massachusetts recently passed a voter referendum for term limits. In the same spirit of government reform, I rise in strong support for limiting the terms of committee or subcommittee chairmen. In the past, too much power reside in the hands of committee chairmen to shape and mold legislation to their personal liking. Some Chairs had become entrenched in their positions of power for 10, 14, or more years, sometimes fulfilling their own parochial interests over the greater good of the Nation. By enacting term limits for these Chairs, we will insure that the legislative process will truly be open to new ideas because it will be open to new leadership. This House has already limited membership on two committees, the Budget Committee and the Intelligence Committee. This step will extend that to limiting how long Members may serve as a Chair of a committee. The results of the November election sent a loud and clear message for real change in Washington. We can answer that signal by voting for this proposal.”