‘Name the bill after him’: Sen Mitch McConnell is set to return next week, but some lawmakers are now using his health crisis to push for term limits

The Senate is preparing to return to session this coming Monday, and per The Hill, so is Senator Mitch McConnell after his three-month absence from the Capitol. While his office hasn’t provided a definitive return date, growing chatter among his peers questions whether he is fit to fulfill his duties. His illness has reignited a heated national debate about the age of our political leadership and the necessity of implementing term limits for those serving in Congress.

According to The Hill, McConnell is the 10th longest-serving senator in US history, having first been elected in 1985. The 84-year-old Republican was hospitalized after a fall, where he also received treatment for pneumonia. While he has been recovering at home and engaging in what he described as an “intensive regimen of physical therapy,” his extended time away from the Senate floor has left many questioning how much transparency we are owed by our elected officials.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has been vocal about his concerns regarding McConnell’s ability to serve. “I hope that he is one of the reasons that we get term limits. I’ll tell you what, I’d even name the bill after him,” Beshear reportedly said. His stance reflects a growing frustration among some state leaders who feel that long-term absences leave their constituents without the full representation they deserve.

A nationwide discussion

The Hill reported that Rob Sand, the 44-year-old Democratic gubernatorial candidate from Iowa, has also been pushing for change. “The idea is, I want term limits. I want age limits. Let’s go get them,” he told reporters back in April. The public seems to agree too. A poll released in May by NPR, PBS News, and Marist found that 83% of U.S. adults support term limits, with support among Republicans reaching 89%. 

Aaron Dukette, a senior strategist for the advocacy group U.S. Term Limits, noted that support for these changes has “skyrocketed” recently and continues to build. He told The Hill that his organization has seen 130-plus members of Congress sign a pledge to support their amendment. However, they have yet to reach the two-thirds threshold required to pass it through both chambers. Their proposal is straightforward: limit U.S. senators to two terms and House members to three.

The conversation about aging in government is, quite honestly, becoming impossible to ignore. Six lawmakers have reportedly passed away while still in office this term, including Reps. Raúl Grijalva (75), Gerry Connolly (75), David Scott (75), and, recently, Sen. Lindsey Graham (71). 

The reality of an aging workforce is a broad societal issue, as Rodney Whitlock, a former health policy adviser to Senator Chuck Grassley, pointed out. He noted that while there was once a more respectful tone regarding aging lawmakers, the dialogue has become “overtly political.” Grassley himself is 92 and remains the longest-serving senator in the chamber today.

For many, the core of the issue is simply the ability to “show up.” Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, the director of advocacy for the Project on Government Oversight, explained to CNN that while public officials deserve some privacy regarding their health, they also have a fundamental duty to their constituents. “Right now, the Commonwealth of Kentucky only has half of the representation it is due. That is a fundamental problem,” he said. 

McConnell has acknowledged the difficulty of this transition. In a statement released in July, he said, “You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct — I can’t help it.” 

He has maintained that he has “unfinished business to complete” on behalf of his constituents and plans to finish his term, which ends in January. He is not seeking reelection for his seat.