A cohort of Senate Republicans are making an effort to restrict the term limits enjoyed by members of Congress. Presently, there is no limit on terms an individual can serve, leading to some members of the House and Senate remaining in office for decades, until they choose to retire. 

Sen. Ted Cruz joined five other Republicans on Monday to introduce legislation based on Cruz’s suggestion for a constitutional amendment on term limits. Should the measure be ratified, it would prevent senators from serving more than two six-year terms, and members of the House from serving more than three two-year terms. 

"Every year, Congress spends billions of dollars on giveaways for the well-connected: Washington insiders get taxpayer money and members of Congress get re-elected, all while the system fails the American people," stated Cruz in a press release.

"It’s no wonder that the vast majority of Americans from every political stripe – Republicans, Democrats, and Independents – overwhelmingly support congressional term limits," he wrote. "The rise of political careerism in today’s Congress is a sharp departure from what the Founders intended for our federal governing bodies. I have long called for this solution for the brokenness of Washington, D.C., and I will continue fighting to hold career politicians accountable. As I have done in the past, I urge my colleagues to submit this constitutional amendment to the states for speedy ratification."

Cruz is supported by Senators Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, Todd Young, Rick Scott and Mike Braun.

"I have long been a supporter of congressional term limits, which would infuse Congress with real-world experience, perspectives, and sensibilities," stated Toomey, who has served in the Senate since 2011. "Term limits also have the added benefit of being supported by supermajorities of Republicans and Democrats."

Fox News notes that a 1995 Supreme Court case, U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Thornton, holds that the only way to impose term limits would be through a rare constitutional amendment. To date, there have only been 27 constitutional amendments in U.S. history.