North Dakota
Retire Congress North Dakota Spearheading Effort for Age Limits in Congress – U.S. Term Limits
Immediate Release
March 18, 2024
Media Contact: David Johnson, Strategic Vision PR Group
Ph: (404) 380-1079
Email: djohnson@strategicvisionpr.com
Congressional Age Limits Amendment Approved for June 11th Primary Vote
Retire Congress North Dakota Spearheading Effort to Prohibit
Any North Dakotan Over 80 To Serve in Congress
Bismarck, ND – Today, Retire Congress North Dakota announced that its proposed amendment to the North Dakota state Constitution that would prohibit anyone from North Dakota aged 80 or older from serving in Congress will be on the June 11th primary ballot. The proposed amendment, if passed, would not impact any current North Dakota congressional office holders eligible for reelection in 2024. Retire Congress North Dakota submitted 42,107 signatures. Out of that total, 32,370 signatures were accepted surpassing the required 31,164 signatures needed to get the amendment on the ballot.
Without congressional term limits in our federal constitution preventing members from serving indefinitely, many in Congress hold their positions for life. Many Americans favor age limits for Congress if congressional term limits are not implemented, especially with many in Congress aged 80 or older.
“Serving in Congress has become a lifelong occupation for many members,” said Jared Hendrix, Chair of Retire Congress North Dakota. “Sadly, Congress has gone from the world’s greatest deliberative body to one of the nation’s best assisted living facilities. Retire Congress North Dakota recognizes basic truths. With age comes health and cognitive decline, which invariably lead to absences and policy concerns. Some have served even though their cognizance has been called into question.
“Now in North Dakota we are prepared to do something about it and set age limits for Congress,” continued Hendrix. “With the overwhelming response in signatures to get this amendment on the ballot, I have no doubt it will easily pass in June. Once it is passed, other states will follow North Dakota’s lead in setting age limits. “Even limiting the age at 80 is far above the retirement age in the military and many private corporations,” concluded Hendrix. “The average age of retirement in America is 64. Everybody else retires, I don’t see why politicians should be different. You can’t run for Senate until you’re 30, or Congress until you’re 25. So we already have age limits on the lower end, just not the upper end.”
The proposed amendment sets a maximum of 80 years and states no person may be elected or appointed to serve a term or a portion of a term in the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House of Representatives if that person could attain 81 years of age by December 31st of the year immediately preceding the end of the term. Once approved by voters, age limits on congressional candidates would be effective Jan. 1, 2025.
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U.S. Term Limits is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating solely on term limits. Our mission is to improve the quality of government with a citizen legislature that closely reflects its constituency and is responsive to the needs of the people it serves. U.S. Term Limits does not require a self-limit on individuals. Our aim is to limit the terms of all members of Congress as an institution. Find out more at termlimits.org.
North Dakota
Portion of Highway 2 closed in Williams County due to fires as of Saturday evening
WILLIAMS COUNTY, N.D. (KFYR) – The Williams County Sheriff’s Office says there are two large, active fires in the Ray area as of 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
They say one fire began northwest of Ray and the other began south of Highway 2 near the area of 102nd Road NW and 62nd Street NW. The fires are traveling southeast and are burning south of Highway 2 as of Saturday evening.
As of 9 p.m. Saturday, Highway 2 is closed from County Road 9 (133rd Avenue NW) eastbound to 105th Avenue NW. Westbound Highway 2 traffic is recommended to travel north on Highway 40, past Tioga, then west on Highway 50.
They say traffic is still able to travel from Highway 2 south on Highway 85 to get to Williston.
There is not currently an evacuation order in place, but if you require assistance, or there is an emergency, Williams County Sheriff’s Office says to dial 911.
Many local and regional firefighters are actively responding.
Your News Leader will continue to provide updates as we learn more.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Live box score: No. 7 UND at No. 2 North Dakota State
FARGO — The 117th meeting between North Dakota and North Dakota State will take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the Fargodome.
Recaps of scoring plays as they happen will be posted below.
NDSU 7, UND 0, 10:39 left: The Bison move quickly on their first drive. After a questionable 15-yard pass interference on Antonio Bluiett, NDSU’s CharMar Brown scores from 2 yards out.
NDSU 14, UND 0, 2:18 left: After picking up a third-and-7, Cam Miller goes deep for Bryce Lance. Lance beats Clayton Bishop deep for a 36-yard touchdown connection.
North Dakota
Vote 'yes' on North Dakota Measure 1, but 'no' on Measure 3
Two statewide measures on North Dakota’s upcoming ballot offer residents a chance to make a difference in the future of the state — one is based on new economics, the other on new social norms and courtesies.
Measure 1 seeks to make changes to how the state Constitution defines institutions in Grafton, Devils Lake and Jamestown. Measure 3 seeks to decrease the funding that can be expended from the Legacy Fund during a single biennium.
Here’s a look at each:
Although a simple majority vote in the Legislature is required to place a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters, Senate Concurrent Resolution 4001 passed without a single “no” vote during the last legislative session.
The real surprise isn’t that the proposal was unanimously passed, but rather that it’s taken this long. Specifically, the measure seeks to change the official name of the state institutions to be more in line with societal evolution that has taken place over the decades. It would change the State School for the Deaf and Dumb in Devils Lake to the State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; the State Hospital for the Insane in Jamestown to the State Hospital for Individuals With Mental Illness; and the Institution for the Feeble Minded in Grafton to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.” The latter already has been called the Life Skills and Transition Center, but Measure 1 will make it official.
We urge a “yes” vote on Measure 1, and may this be the last time those phrases are used in print.
A statewide vote in 2010 established the Legacy Fund, a piggy bank for the people that collects 30% of tax revenue from oil and natural gas extraction in the state. In its first 13 years, the fund grew past $9 billion.
Now, a constitutional amendment seeks to decrease the amount of principal available for spending each biennium, from 15% to 5% of the total. The amendment would provide for distribution from the Legacy Fund to a Legacy earnings fund, rather than have the accrued earnings be sent to the state’s general fund, as currently happens.
We don’t like the proposal. Why put constraints on future spending, especially if some sort of tragedy or emergency occurs?
And what about the next great idea — one we cannot fathom today but one that might require a large and expedient expenditure to push it to fruition?
Measure 3 seems like an idea not to spend money. We believe North Dakotans should embrace the state’s prosperity. The Legacy Fund was established to provide a better future for the state, and it’s time to start thinking about what that future will look like.
Vote no on Measure 3.
This Forum Communications Co. editorial represents the views of Forum Communications Co., this newspaper’s parent company. It was written by the FCC Editorial Advisory Board.
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