EMERSON SAYS HE'LL CAREFULLY CONSIDER DEBATE ON TERM LIMITS

WASHINGTON -- One provision in the Republican Contract With America that U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson is not especially sold on is a call for term limits for members of Congress.

But the Cape Girardeau Republican said he looks forward to hearing the debate when it gets to the House floor in the next few weeks.

"I will be a very good listener in this debate," said Emerson, who added that he will have to be sold on the idea.

Emerson said the process in place is a good one, if people want to use it, adding that term limits are a "kind of slap at the people."

"Why shouldn't people be able to choose their representative?" Emerson asked, adding that arbitrary limits are not desirable.

If a representative is doing a good job, voters should have a right to keep the person in office, Emerson said, and, if not, voters should have the right to remove the person.

Emerson is serving his 8th two-year term in the House, but said he has always taken it one term at a time and has never set a goal for a specific number of terms he wants to serve.

In visiting people around the district who have expressed support for term limits, Emerson said he has asked whether he should retire. But the normal response is that they want term limits for members like Dan Rostenkowski, not him.

Ironically, the longtime Illinois congressman was turned out by voters last year.

But Emerson said it isn't possible to selectively impose term limits, and at this point thinks it is a decision the voters should make.

"I think maybe people are underestimating themselves or their own judgment," Emerson said.

It will be good for members of Congress and for citizens to hear a sound discussion of the issue on the House floor, he said.

Last year the congressman signed a discharge petition in an attempt to get a term limits bill out of committee so it could be debated.

But now, as part of the contract, it will be debated.