Today, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Congressman Tom Reed (R-NY), along with 195 cosponsors, reintroduced the House Joint Resolution to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification from the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)’s preamble. Its companion joint resolution was introduced in the Senate today by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
Representative Jackie Speier, Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said: “Since our country’s founding, women have been left out of the Constitution – intentionally. We were second-class citizens deprived of basic rights to vote, enter most jobs, or own property. To this day, we are paid less for our work, violated with impunity, and disproportionately suffer the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enough is enough. With President Biden and Vice President Harris at the helm, this will finally be the year we ratify the ERA to the Constitution.”
“As we begin a new Congress, I can think of no better legislation to lead with than one that removes impediments to find ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment—an amendment that firmly embeds in law equality between men and women. We first moved the ERA through Congress back in 1972, but we stalled out on certification by the states until last year when Virginia ratified the ERA. After years of work alongside Senator Cardin, I urge my colleagues to join us in ensuring equality for all,” said Senator Murkowski.
“The health and economic crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on many underlying problems we, as a nation, have yet to resolve, including rampant gender discrimination. To build back better under the Biden-Harris Administration, we must go beyond band-aid solutions and temporary fixes.,” said Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, longtime fighter for the ERA. “Women and all marginalized genders need equality under the law. This can only be secured by adding the Equal Rights Amendment to our Constitution. It is long past time to finally cement gender equality in our nation’s most important text, once and for all.”
“The 100-year fight for granting gender equality in the U.S. Constitution must not be shredded by an out-of-date and irrelevant timeline. Thankfully Rep. Jackie Speier is moving early in this Congressional session to remove this fig leaf and to help pave the pathway for the Equal Rights Amendment to be enshrined finally in the Constitution in 2021,” said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority and a 50-year veteran in the struggle for the ERA.
Source: Congresswoman Speier Press Release 1/21/21
