Deaths and health scares of senior lawmakers reignite calls for congressional term and age limits

The passing of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Texas Representative Kay Granger, together with Senator Mitch McConnell's prolonged hospitalization after a fall, have brought the issue of congressional term and age limits back into the spotlight. Clark Neily of the Cato Institute explained that the Founders deliberately left out limits, assuming elections would ensure turnover, but modern expansions of congressional power have altered that balance.

A recent survey indicates that 80% of the public, across party lines, support imposing both term and age restrictions on federal legislators. Advocacy groups such as the Convention of States are urging states to use Article V to propose constitutional amendments. Recent controversies, including Representative Tom Kean Jr.'s undisclosed four-month absence due to depression and McConnell's delayed disclosure of his injuries, underscore worries about lawmakers' health transparency and the lack of attendance requirements.

Currently, the Senate includes members ranging from their 40s to a nonagenarian, illustrating the wide age span of incumbents. Critics argue that without limits, Congress functions more as a career enclave than a rotating body of public servants.