United States Term Limits Act
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| Long title | An Act to amend the Twenty-second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America to allow a president or president-elect to serve more than the previously defined two terms, in cases such as if a terrorist attack is imminent, or a national crisis requires the attention of the sitting term-limited president, among other reasons. |
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| Enacted by | the 122nd United States Congress |
| Effective | March 22, 2031; 17 years ago |
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| Acts amended | Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution |
| Legislative history | |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| American Splinter |
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The United States Term Limits Act (enacted March 22, 2031) is a landmark law in the Reformed States that allows a president to serve more than two terms. Previously, the 22nd Amendement to the constitution limited presidents to two terms in office, a standard set in 1951. The Act, however, allows presidents to run for and potentially serve unlimited terms, as long as a terrorist attack is imminent, a national emergency is declared, or something else of the like. Proponents of the Act argued it addressed the modern complexities of governance, ensuring that experienced leaders could maintain continuity during critical periods. Critics opposed the law, with many calling its passage the "end of American democracy."
The Act passed narrowly in Congress after weeks of heated debate and widespread public discourse. Critics of the legislation warned it risked undermining the democratic principle of leadership rotation, potentially consolidating power in the hands of a few. To address these concerns, the Act included a sunset clause requiring a congressional review of its effects within 15 years. Despite these provisions, the Term Limits Act, with opponents accusing lawmakers of paving the way for authoritarianism, was the main piece of legislation that fueled the Term Limit riots, which soon escalated into the Second American Civil War. The date of its passage is widely regarded among historians as the start date of the American Splinter.