Oregonians have never been afraid to challenge the status quo.
Our state has a long history of embracing political reforms designed to make government more responsive to the people. From pioneering the initiative and referendum process to expanding opportunities for voter participation, Oregon has often been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen democracy and increase accountability.
Today, there is another reform whose time has come: congressional term limits.
Across the political spectrum, Americans are increasingly frustrated with Washington. They see a Congress that struggles to address major national challenges while partisan battles consume the public's attention. They watch the national debt continue to climb, trust in government continue to decline, and elected officials remain in office decade after decade.
Many of the same members of Congress who helped create today's problems are still there, often holding positions of tremendous influence because of the years they have spent accumulating seniority.
This raises an important question: are career politicians really making Congress work better for the American People?
The evidence suggests otherwise.
While experience can be valuable, there is a significant difference between experience and entrenchment. At some point, long tenure begins to foster institutional inertia. New ideas become harder to advance. Existing power structures become more important than meaningful reform. Political survival becomes a priority in its own right.
The result is a Congress that often appears more focused on maintaining the status quo and playing to their partisan base than bringing people together to solve problems.
Oregonians understand the value of fresh thinking. In every sector of society, from business to education to civic organizations, leadership renewal is viewed as healthy and necessary. New leaders bring different perspectives, challenge outdated assumptions, and often identify solutions that others have overlooked.
Yet Congress operates under a system that rewards permanence rather than renewal.
Members spend years building fundraising networks, cultivating name recognition, and gaining advantages that make reelection increasingly likely. Over time, elections become less competitive, and the voices of ordinary citizens can be overshadowed by the influence of special interests and Washington insiders.
This is not how representative government is supposed to function.
The Framers of the Constitution envisioned public service as a temporary responsibility, not a lifelong occupation. They expected elected officials to bring their experience from their communities to D.C., serve the public interest, and eventually return home.
Instead, Congress has evolved into an institution where decades-long political careers have become the norm.
Not surprisingly, Americans have noticed. Poll after poll shows overwhelming support for congressional term limits among Republicans, Democrats, independents. Citizens understand that regular turnover can help create a more responsive government and reduce the concentration of power in the hands of a small political class.
Unfortunately, those who benefit from the current system are unlikely to change it voluntarily.
That is why the states have a critical role to play.
Article V of the U.S. Constitution gives states the authority to call a convention for the purpose of proposing constitutional amendments. The Founders included this process as a safeguard, recognizing that there might be times when Congress would be unwilling to address reforms that the public overwhelmingly supports.
An Article V convention is not a shortcut around the Constitution—it is part of the Constitution designed for precisely this moment and purpose.
 A congressional term limits amendment emerging from such a convention would still need to be ratified by 38 states before becoming law. That high threshold ensures that only proposals with broad national support can succeed (indeed, only one has been approved in the last century, forbidding Members of Congress from increasing their own salaries during a term).
Across the country, state legislatures are already taking action: passing resolutions calling for an Article V convention focused exclusively on congressional term limits. They recognize that waiting for Congress to reform itself is unrealistic.
Oregon should be part of this effort.
Our state's tradition of political innovation makes us particularly well-positioned to lead on this issue. Oregonians have consistently demonstrated a willingness to pursue reforms that improve accountability and strengthen citizen participation. Supporting congressional term limits is entirely consistent with that legacy.
Passing a resolution calling for an Article V convention limited to congressional term limits would send a clear message that Oregon believes public office should be a position of service, not a permanent career path.
This is not about punishing incumbents or targeting any political party. It is about improving the structure of government itself. It is about ensuring that future generations have opportunities to serve. It is about encouraging competition, accountability, and new ideas.
Most importantly, it is about restoring public confidence in representative government.
Americans are losing faith in institutions that seem increasingly disconnected from the people they are supposed to serve. Term limits will not solve every challenge facing our nation, but they can help address one of the root causes of public frustration: the concentration of political power in the hands of a small group of long-serving officials.
Oregon has never been content to sit on the sidelines when meaningful reform is within reach.
The people have made their views clear. The Constitution provides a path forward. Now it is time for Oregon lawmakers to act.
By passing a resolution calling for an Article V convention limited to congressional term limits, Oregon can help lead a national movement to restore accountability, renew citizen government, and ensure that Congress serves the people — not the other way around.
•••
Andrew Kalloch is the Oregon State Chair for U.S. Term Limits and a former Democratic candidate.
Commented