Senate

Coburn calls for term limits

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said he’s filed an amendment that would require congressional term limits.

“I have filed an amendment which would place term limits on members of Congress,” Coburn said on the Senate floor Wednesday. “Because the number one priority for most members in this body on both sides is to get reelected.”

{mosads}His amendment would set a three-term limit in the House of Representatives and a two-term limit in the Senate.

Coburn said he knows his measure won’t get a vote since Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has already filed cloture on the constitutional amendment dealing with campaign finance reform. But he said that’s part of the problem.

“Congress is not addressing the needs of the nation,” Coburn said. “What’s happening here is a political farce.”

Coburn blasted Reid for scheduling political show votes ahead of the midterm elections when the Senate has failed to pass any appropriations bills, the reauthorization of the defense spending bill or any cyber security measures. 

He said lawmakers should be working on creating jobs and entitlement reform instead of voting on Democratic priorities, such as increasing the minimum wage, campaign finance reform, equal pay for women and refinancing student loans.

Coburn has served two terms and has announced that he will not seek reelection in 2016.