Report: Pelosi weighing placing term limits on committee chairs

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is reportedly weighing placing term limits on Democratic chairmen in an effort to lock down the votes needed to secure the Speaker’s gavel.

Pelosi discussed signing onto the rules change with Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) — who signed onto an anti-Pelosi letter but has hinted he could flip to support her — in exchange for his vote, HuffPost first reported.

Under current caucus rules, Democrats are not termed out of the chairmanships or ranking member positions, which some have critiqued for limiting younger members from rising up within the party.

“Leader Pelosi is sympathetic to the concerns raised by many newer Members, including many in the Freshmen Class, both directly to her but also to Mr. McGovern as part of the rules discussion. This discussion will occur in the Caucus where it belongs,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said in a statement, referring to Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

“This debate has been occurring in the Caucus for years and has nothing to do with her nomination for Speaker. Reports to the contrary are false,” Hammill added.

House Republican chairmen are termed out after serving in the role for three sessions of Congress. Previous calls to change the rules ultimately proved to be unsuccessful in 2015 after pushback from critics who felt the seniority has given minority members the ability to have a voice in the party.

“Term limits are in the 115th Congress’ rules package and a decision has to be made to keep or remove that provision. That is what makes this conversation timely,” a source close to the California Democrat said. “Pelosi is sympathetic to the concerns of the newer Members and wants some sort of closure to this. Conversations will continue and this is likely to be a topic in an upcoming Caucus.”

According to a source familiar with the conversation between the lawmakers, Perlmutter discussed a number of potential paths to advance younger members, but no offer has been made.