Should There be Age Limits on Congress

Should There be Age Limits on Congress—How Many Representatives in US House and Senate over 75?

 

Should There be Age Limits on Congress–Let’s look at the demographics of the two bodies of Congress to explore the oldest members of Congress.

The Oldest Members of the House of Representatives and Senate

Should There be Age Limits on Congress?At 88 years old, Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) is the oldest member of the House of Representatives. Rogers has served in Congress since 1981, making him one of Kentucky’s longest-serving members of Congress.

The next oldest members of Congress include:

• Del. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-D.C.) – 88 years old
• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) – 87 years old
• Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) – 86 years old
• Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) – 85 years old
• Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) – 85 years old
• The Oldest Members of the Senate
• At 92 years old, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)  is currently the oldest senator and the oldest member of Congress by age. First elected in 1980, Senator Grassley is the longest-serving Republican in Senate history, overtaking the record of Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) in 2023. Grassley is also the 6th-longest-running Senator of all time.
• Previously, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was the oldest senator before her death in September 2023.
• The next oldest members of the Senate include:
• Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) – 84 years old
• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – 83 years old
• Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) – 82 years old
• Sen. Angus King (I-ME) – 81 years old
• Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) – 81 years old

Would Age Limits Strengthen Congress?

According to the Brennan Center for Justice Age Limits would strengthen congress.

At the end of 2024, it was revealed that an 81-year-old member of the House was living in an assisted living facility and experiencing “dementia issues” after missing months of votes. In 2023, a then-90-year-old senator had to be told how to vote after appearing confused during a committee markup. At the time, these episodes brought new questions about the age of members of Congress. But since then, little has changed.

The current Congress is the third oldest in the nation’s history. The eldest members are showing few signs of stepping aside. Of the 24 members age 80 or older, more than half are seeking another term in November. Establishing an age limit for members of Congress would help narrow this mounting gerontocracy gap It would create a legislature that is more inclusive, reflective, and responsive to the people it serves.

Does Congress Have a Dementia Problem?

Congresswoman Kay Granger disappeared from Congress and for months, she’d been living in an assisted-living facility in Texas that also includes memory care. 

Senator Diane Feinstein missed 91 votes when she was ill.

Feinstein is the oldest member of the current Senate, eclipsing Iowa Republican Charles Grassley by a few months. But Feinstein had been missing from the Senate for much of the current session, recovering in California from a bout with shingles complicated by encephalitis and other ailments.

If Congressmen and women had dementia they could be compromised by corruption, sure. But it could also be something outside of their control, like aging and the onset of mental incapacity. While these are sensitive topics, we’d be doing a disservice to democracy by not discussing them. People have got to know if their politicians

David Laibson, a behavioral economist at Harvard University, reports that about half of all octogenarians cannot make major financial decisions due to dementia and other cognitive impairments. There are 13 octogenarians in Congress.

Obviously, these trends don’t necessarily mean Congress has a problem. Many people experience little-to-no loss in mental sharpness as they age. But there have been enough red flags lately to merit concern.

As an Example-When Senator John McCain (R-AZ), 81., He was questioned ex-FBI Director James Comey at a hearing in June, McCain appeared confused and disconnected from reality. McCain stumbled on his words, mixed up two separate investigations and at times referred to the ex-FBI Director as “President Comey.”

Six weeks later, McCain announced that he had been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor.

Example Trumps”s Confusion and Ilegal Demand for Unfettered Power

New research suggests that the relationship between power and mental decay could be even worse than scientists had imagined. Not only are people with brain damage finding their way into powerful posts; but the evidence shows that power might also CAUSE brain damage.

“Subjects under the influence of power,” according to Dacher Keltner, a University of California, Berkeley professor, ”acted as if they had suffered a traumatic brain injury—becoming more impulsive, less risk-aware, and, crucially, less adept at seeing things from other people’s point of view.

Examples of Court Rulings on President Trump’s Attempt at Expanding Presidential Power

Court Rulings: Federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court have blocked several sweeping unilateral moves, ruling that the president cannot unilaterally override statutory election rules, impose unauthorized tariffs, or remove certain protected officials without proper cause.
Expanded Authority: At the same time, the Supreme Court has upheld or expanded executive power in other areas, such as specific federal workforce firings and immigration restrictions, creating a complex legal tug-of-war over the boundaries of presidential authority.

Does Trump, the Oldest elected President now 80 Have Dementia?

Speculation has grown about US President Donald Trump’s erratic behavior during the US-Israel war on Iran.

While questioning Trump’s mental fitness for office, various commentators have suggested he has malignant narcissism, Alzheimer’s disease or frontotemporal dementia, and is experiencing accelerating cognitive decline and a “profound psychological crisis”.

The claim of frontotemporal dementia in particular has stuck. This form of dementia can affect judgement, empathy, language skills and impulse control.Trump’s critics say frontotemporal dementia explains his escalating threats, profanities and tendency to ramble.

But is Frontotemporal Dementia Really the Answer?

Diagnosing someone with this condition from afar is not only irresponsible – it’s impossible. It may also inadvertently give Trump an “out” for offensive but intentional behavior, while increasing stigma for those who live with dementia.

Together, we can develop strategies to win the midterms for seniors.Vote for congresspeople who support seniors’ needs. Make a plan now to vote in November in case barriers are put up, like Trump’s plan to stop voting by Mail or to send the National Guard to voting sites. Educate yourself now on what barriers there may be to Voting & prepare; Educate yourself now on candidates on the ballot, their backgrounds & platforms in your city and state and for President now and until the vote, by joining the League of Women Voters or other similar organizations.

Find out more about Cathy Cress, MSW, at her website

ABOUT CATHY Cathy Cress holds an MSW in Aging from UC Berkeley. Her book, Handbook of Geriatric Care Management, published by Jones and Bartlett, is the Bible of geriatric care … Continue reading About us

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