Sen. Roland Pederson and others honored for supporting term limits

OKLAHOMA CITY — Earlier this week, 14 Oklahoma state legislators including Sen. Roland Pederson were honored with a plaque for their support of term limits on Congress. 

U.S. Term Limits, the nation’s oldest and largest pro-term limits group, presented the distinction to the state legislators at the Oklahoma capitol. 

The recipients are Reps. Arturo Alonso, Chad Caldwell, Cody Maynard, Danny Williams, David Hardin, Denise Hader, Eddie Dempsey, John George, Justin Humphrey, Kevin West, Mickey Dollens, Mike Dobrinski, Rick West and Sen. Pederson.

Chris Keener of USTL presented the legislators with the “Champion of Term Limits” wood plaque which reads, “In recognition of a steadfast commitment to restore citizen government through term limits.” 

Nearly 20 legislators support House Joint Resolution 1032  which successfully passed the House Rules Committee earlier this month and is scheduled for a house floor vote next week. 

The convention bill does not set the specific length of term limits, rather, it simply starts a discussion among the states on what the ideal term limits of Congress members should be.

Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, the states have more power to amend the Constitution than the Congress does. 

In this situation, Congress would have a conflict of interest to propose term limits on itself. Recognizing this, the founders assured the states could both propose and ratify amendments without the approval of Congress. 

HJR1032 leverages this power so the states may act in the best interest of the people.

Sponsored by Oklahoma house representative, Jon Echols the measure’s summary reads, “House Joint Resolution 1032 applies to the United States Congress for a Convention of the States to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to impose term limits on members of Congress.”

HJR1032 must be approved by the state senate in order for Oklahoma to be counted in the states calling for a term limits convention.

These legislators realize that an overwhelming majority of their constituents want term limits on Congress. 

According to a 2022 poll of voters in the state conducted by RMG Research, term limits enjoy wide bipartisan support, 80 percent of Republicans, 81 percent of Democrats, and 62 percent of independents strongly approve of placing term limits on members of Congress.

Once the amendment is proposed by either Congress or the states at a national convention, it must be ratified by 38 states in order to become part of the U.S. Constitution.