Rep. Ralph Norman Pursuing Congressional Term Limits, Spending Reforms in New Congress

Published: 1/26/2023, 12:35:14 PM EST

Rep. Ralph Norman Pursuing Congressional Term Limits, Spending Reforms in New Congress — Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) in a still from video. (NTD)

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) is pursuing congressional term limits and a number of other reforms in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives that could change how the body conducts its business.

"Term limits have been talked about by the public for a long time," Norman told NTD News on Wednesday. "I've been a proponent back when I first got into politics in 2005 in the state house in South Carolina."

Norman introduced a bill on Jan. 10, along with Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and 43 Republican original co-sponsors, that would call for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on Congress. The resolution would allow Representatives to serve three two-year terms and Senators to serve to two six-year terms. The bill further stipulates that if someone takes office in a special election to fill a vacancy, a qualifying term would be one year or more in the House and three years or more in the Senate.

Norman said "it's time for an up or down vote" from members of Congress on term limits. Since introducing his bill, another 14 Republicans have joined on as co-sponsors.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced a companion bill for the Senate on Monday, with 11 Republican Senate co-sponsors.

"Most politicians, they've said they agree with term limits. But then when it comes down to it, they fight it," Norman said.

Norman said a House floor vote on term limits was one of the items Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) agreed to as he sought support for his speakership bid.

In addition to a vote on term limits, Norman is seeking stricter scrutiny of bills before they can proceed to a vote, including imposing single-subject rules for bills.

On The House Rules Committee

This week, McCarthy appointed Norman to the influential House Rules Committee, along with Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky). Norman and Roy were among a block of 20 staunch conservative Republicans that initially opposed McCarthy's speakership until he made concessions to earn their votes. Massie supported McCarthy's speakership but is more of a libertarian who often challenges large spending bills, sometimes finding himself at odds with his Republican colleagues.

"Rules Committee vets anything before it goes to the floor," Norman said. "Germaneness, you know, single subject; which we got with and with the understanding that McCarthy would support and he has. But we're gonna drive [a] hard bargain. We're going to look at every bill before [it] comes to the floor."

Norman said in the last session of Congress, under Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Rules Committee had "been a rubber stamp for what she says, what she dictated."

Debt Ceiling Fight

One of the issues that Republican holdouts raised before supporting McCarthy's speakership bid, was the desire to slow government spending and impose fiscal reforms before taking on more debt.

Last week, the United States hit its $31.4 trillion debt limit, forcing the U.S. Treasury Department to begin so-called “extraordinary measures” to prevent the United States from defaulting on any national debt payments. McCarthy has called for pairing an increase to the debt limit with budget reforms and has called on President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress to negotiate on the issue.

The Biden administration has said it will not negotiate on the debt ceiling, and called on Congress to pass a "clean bill" to raise the debt ceiling "without conditions."

Last week, Biden called his critics “fiscally demented.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Republican-controlled House would cut entitlement programs.

"They’re threatening to kill millions of jobs and 401(k) plans by trying to hold the debt limit hostage unless they can, again, cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid," Jean-Pierre said.

Norman said Democratic claims that Republicans will cut entitlement programs have been a standard "fallback position" in past debates over whether to raise the debt limit. Norman said that he would consider cuts throughout the government, and not just to entitlements. He even indicated the national defense budget could be cut.

"We're going to examine every agency, national defense being one of them," Norman said.

He said "wokeism" in the military may be one potential area where lawmakers can cut spending.

Norman said all areas of the budget should be considered, and the American people can judge.

While Norman and other Republicans have signaled they may be open to some cuts to the defense budget, other Republicans have defended against claims they would cut defense spending. Roy recently said Republicans, with McCarthy were able to “enact the biggest discretionary spending cut" but said claims they have agreed on cutting defense spending are "a lie."