'We need term limits': Melanie D'Arrigo calls for age caps for members of Congress

Democratic politician Melanie D'Arrigo took to X on Sunday to call for term limits on members of Congress. She claimed the average ages of a representative and a senator were 58 and 64, respectively, and that the average American was much younger. "These people squatting in seats for decades can't accurately relate to, or represent, the needs of Americans, and waiting for them to pass in their seats isn't a solution. We need term limits," she added.

Having older people in power is nothing new for Americans. President Donald Trump is 80 years old, and former President Joe Biden was 82 when his presidency concluded. Both are older than former President George W. Bush, who turned 80 earlier this month. According to an earlier report by NBC, the current Congress is the third-oldest in the country's history, with 24 members aged 80 or above; of them, 13 legislators are seeking re-election.

Having older people in Congress leads to several problems, but perhaps the most crucial is the health and wellness of these elected officials. President Trump regularly comes under the scanner over his physical health and cognitive capabilities, much like his predecessor. However, they are not the only ones. 84-year-old Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell was hospitalized in June after suffering a fall and remained silent about it for weeks. The GOP Congressman only released a statement after speculation about his whereabouts kept mounting, as per The Guardian.

Concerns about older members of Congress could have been exacerbated after the passing of GOP Senator Lindsey Graham at the age of 71. According to the Washington Post, a preliminary medical report states that the South Carolina Senator suffered from an aortic dissection, in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the main artery. The cause of the tear was arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which can happen to those with high blood pressure.

An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll conducted earlier this year shows that an overwhelming proportion of Americans want there to be age caps as well as term limits for members of Congress. As per NPR, eight out of 10 Americans are in support of such a measure, and it goes beyond party lines: 78% of Democrats voted in favor of age caps, as did 83% of Republicans. The poll also found that older voters and younger voters agree on this matter.