HARRISBURG—Senator John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry) announced today the introduction of a concurrent resolution calling for a Convention of States under Article V of the United States Constitution to enact term limits for members of Congress. It complements existing legislative proposals that would establish term limits for members of the state General Assembly.
DiSanto is a career private sector businessman turned citizen legislator who has personally limited himself to just two terms in office. In introducing the amendment DiSanto said, “elected office is a calling to serve our fellow citizens, not a career predicated upon individual advancement or reelection.” He added, “despite many answering the call with good intentions, we have seen how careerism and self-preservation in the insular halls of power in our nation’s Capital leads to the service of entrenched special interests rather than one’s constituents.”
The first-term Senator highlighted the importance of term limits as a reality check for elected officials as they must return to the real world and live under the laws they pass. DiSanto also said term limits provide fresh perspectives and ideas through increased turnover and help maintain critical and independent judgment over issues without members becoming beholden to lobbyists and executive agencies.
DiSanto has championed other government reforms during his first term in office. “I have always sought to lead by example–I donate the automatic-cost-of-living increase to charitable causes, have turned down the taxpayer-funded pension, and support legislation to ban cash gifts and per diems for lawmakers,” DiSanto said. DiSanto also authored Act 1 of 2019 to forfeit the pensions of elected officials and public employees that abuse their positions of power to commit felonies.
CONTACT: Chuck Erdman 717-787-6801 cerdman@pasen.gov