I may not yet be old enough to vote but I believe that civic responsibility — and the right to participate in public discourse — doesn’t begin at 18. It begins when we recognize something in our country that needs to change and we speak up. Today I’m speaking up about the urgent need for term limits in Congress — not simply to reform politics but to ensure our democracy can meet the challenges of the modern world with clarity competence and courage.

Too many of the issues shaping our future: climate change , artificial intelligence , gender affirming health care, mental health, digital privacy — require the kind of intellectual flexibility and up to date understanding that Congress as it currently operates too often lacks. When lawmakers remain in office for decades, their policy foundations are often based on outdated education, outdated science and outdated social understandings. It’s not their fault… but it is our responsibility to fix the system that allows that disconnect to persist.

Take climate change, for years many lawmakers dismissed or delayed action on this existential crisis — not because they were ill intentioned but because the science during their formative years in office was limited disputed or poorly understood. Today the data is overwhelming and the consensus is clear. Yet too many members of Congress still operate within the framework of policy ideas from the 1980s or 1990s when climate urgency was not yet fully recognized. The result? Delays. Watered down legislation and a generation left to clean up the mess.

The same is true for artificial intelligence — A.I. is rapidly transforming everything from national security, to job markets, to personal privacy. But it’s painfully evident that many lawmakers lack the basic literacy to engage with the technology let alone regulate it. When leaders do not understand the issues they are tasked with overseeing we risk policy that is either dangerously weak or dangerously misguided.

And then there’s gender affirming care — an issue at the forefront of public debate and personal identity for millions of Americans including many of my peers. This is a field that has evolved quickly with advances in medical science psychology and social awareness. Yet too often debates in Congress are shaped not by the latest evidence or lived experiences but by outdated cultural views and political fear mongering. How can we expect compassion or clarity when many of our lawmakers were trained in a time when these issues were barely acknowledged let alone understood?

This is why term limits matter.

We need leaders who are not just experienced, but responsive. We need lawmakers who can think on their feet process new information and legislate based on the world as it is not as it once was. The Constitution was designed to evolve with the times — and so must its stewards. Term limits would ensure that fresh minds modern education and lived relevance have a consistent seat at the table in Congress.

I propose a constitutional amendment that limits senators to 12 years and representatives to six years in office. To transition fairly, current lawmakers who have exceeded those limits would be allowed to complete their existing terms but would be barred from running for reelection. This balances respect for service with the urgent need for institutional renewal.

As of now 12 states have formally called for an Article V convention to propose a congressional term limits amendment. But that’s still 22 states short of the 34 required to compel Congress to act. If our federal representatives won’t impose these limits on themselves the states must take the lead — through the power the Constitution grants them.

The Article V convention process allows states to bypass Congress and directly propose amendments to the Constitution. Under Article V two-thirds of states (34 states) must pass resolutions calling for a convention to propose amendments. This is one of the most powerful tools states have to reform the federal government. If a sufficient number of states — currently 12 — call for a convention on term limits, it could trigger the process and Congress would be required to convene a convention to propose amendments to impose term limits on members of Congress.

Connecticut has the opportunity to play a vital role in this process. We must urge our state legislature to join the other 12 states that have already made their call for an Article V convention on term limits. This is not just about sending a message — it’s about taking direct action to bring change. Our state’s leadership can make a difference by helping to push us closer to the 34-state threshold that will make a constitutional amendment on term limits a reality.

At the same time we must also urge our representatives in Washington to take up the cause of term limits through legislation. If the states are calling for term limits Congress should have the courage to act and introduce a bill to make term limits a reality without waiting for a convention. These efforts whether through Article V or Congressional action must be pursued simultaneously as both paths can help bring about the change we so desperately need.

I recently wrote to Gov. Ned Lamont, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1, to ask them to take a stand. These leaders have served our state with commitment but true leadership means recognizing when our system no longer serves the people as effectively as it should. Term limits aren’t about punishing experience — they’re about protecting democracy from complacency and irrelevance.

Our future depends on it. We can no longer afford to have a Congress that is slow to adapt and out of step with the science technology and cultural realities shaping the next century. We need leaders who reflect not only our values but our knowledge — leaders who can meet the moment not just recall the past.

Although I can’t yet vote I can raise my voice. I believe that democracy must always be open to renewal. And I believe term limits are the tool that will help us bring the next generation of problem solvers into power — leaders who see the world as it is and who are ready to build the future we need.

To the people of Connecticut to the states and to Congress: the time to act is now — before the disconnect grows deeper and before another generation inherits a government too outdated to lead.