Congressional Term Limits and the Impact on the Power of Black Congressional Members
Posted: 12 Oct 2015
Date Written: October 10, 2015
Abstract
The issue of term limits for members of the U.S. House of Representatives affects all members of the House of Representatives regardless of their race; however, the issue is extremely important within the black community due to the relatively smaller number of black Americans currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 114th Congress, out of 435 congressional members, Forty-eight members identified as black Americans. Forty-eight members represent the highest number of black members of Congress in any congress. With the limited number of black Americans currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives how would term limits affect the power the black community has in the U.S. House of Representatives?
For the subsequent analysis of term limits and their effect on the black community, the writer will use Mack H. Jones’ “Frame of Reference for Black Politics” to understand the effect term limits would have on the power of black members of congress. To answer the aforementioned question, the writer will examine the constitutionality of term limits within the U.S. governmental systems, the time it takes to become a committee or subcommittee chair in the House of Representatives, and the legislative process within the U.S. governmental system to see if term limits could be in the best interests of the black community.
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