by Carrie N. Baker for Ms. Magazine In an opinion issued on Wednesday, Jan. 26, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) helped clear the way for the Equal Rights Amendment, according to leading ERA advocates. In January of 2020, under Trump, the OLC issued an opinion arguing that Congress had no power to remove a […]
House Oversight and Reform Committee Holds Historic Hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment
On Thursday, the House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing about the Equal Rights Amendment. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, who chairs the Oversight Committee, started the hearing by stating that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) has met all requirements for the adoption of a United States Constitutional Amendment. It was ratified by 2/3 of both […]
Fifty Years After Passage, the Equal Rights Amendment Is More Important Than Ever
This is an opinion piece written by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, published originally on Ms. online. Imagine for a moment that the Equal Rights Amendment had become part of the U.S. Constitution soon after Congress in 1972 sent it to the states for ratification. Many heartbreaking events would have been prevented, for both women and men. […]
15,000 ERA Supporters Urge Sen. Kyrsten Sinema to End the Filibuster
This piece was written by Aviva Dove-Viebahn for Ms. magazine. In the sweltering heat of a midday desert sun, a delegation of women’s rights activists and leaders gathered in front of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s Phoenix field office. Their goal? To deliver thousands of letters, postcards and petitions from Arizona and across the country imploring the senator to align […]
Virginia, Nevada, and Illinois Will Appeal Ruling on ERA
On Monday, Virginia, Nevada, and Illinois filed notice that they will appeal a federal judge’s ruling that the states’ votes to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment were too late. Virginia led the appeal, with the other states joining. “Throughout the years, efforts to have the Equal Rights Amendment added to the Constitution have met with […]
House Votes to Remove Arbitrary Timeline on the ERA and Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act
Today, the House of Representatives voted 222-204 to remove the arbitrary timeline on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. “Today the United States House of Representatives voted that there is no time limit on equality,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. “Now it’s up to the Senate to agree and clear […]
The Feminist Majority Joins The ERA Coalition in Urging Biden-Harris Administration to Prioritize Enshrining the ERA into the US Constitution
The Feminist Majority has signed on to a letter sent by The ERA Coalition to the Biden-Harris administration calling for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to finally be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution within the first 100 days of the Biden presidency. President Biden and Vice President Harris are both strong supporters of the ERA. […]
Attorneys General File Landmark ERA Lawsuit
Three attorneys general that represent the last three states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) have filed a lawsuit stating that according to Article V, the amendment must be added to the Constitution immediately. This lawsuit was brought forth by Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and Nevada Attorney […]
Virginia Becomes the 38th State to Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment
The United States has never been closer to officially creating an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the U.S. Constitution. On Tuesday, January 14, a Virginia statehouse committee approved a measure to “bring the amendment to a full vote” which was voted upon by the Virginia House of Delegates and state Senate on Wednesday, January 15. […]
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Supreme Court Upholds Virginia Redistricting
On Monday, June 17th, the Supreme Court decided to uphold district re-drawings in spite of republican’s challenge to reverse racially gerrymandered districts. Written by Justice Ginsburg, majority 5-4 decision states Virginia preferred to “stop than fight on,” illuminating that they are ready for an election with these already redrawn districts. These districts were originally drawn […]
U.S. House Holds First ERA Hearing in Over Three Decades
Last week, high profile women’s rights advocates and feminists gathered in Washington, D.C. for the first Congressional hearing on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in over three decades. The ERA is a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would specifically ban discrimination on the basis of sex.
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Equal Rights Amendment Introduced to Louisiana State Senate
Today the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution was introduced in the Louisiana Senate by Louisiana State Senator Jean-Paul Morrell. It has been 47 years since the Louisiana Senate has voted in favor of ratifying women’s equality into the U.S. Constitution. HCR2 was also introduced in the Louisiana State House by Representative Robert […]
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ERA Introduced in Missouri State Senate
Last week, Missouri State Senator Jill Schupp introduced the Equal Rights Amendment into the state senate for ratification. Senator Schupp faces a tough battle in the Missouri State Senate after the Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz announced that he would oppose the legislation. Missouri’s Senate is composed of 24 Republicans and 10 Democrats and […]
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Virginia ERA Advocates Rally In Support of Rule Change
On Thursday, prior to first readings of the rule changes set forth by Virginia Delegate Hala Ayala (D-Prince William) and Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), a rally in support of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was held on the steps of Virginia’s Capitol. Advocates heard from local and national speakers on the importance of the ERA, […]
Congress Leads Renewed Fight For the ERA
On Tuesday, Congresswomen Jackie Speier (D-Ca.) and Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) hosted a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to announce the introduction of legislation in support of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). They were joined by activists and organizations spearheading the movement such as the Feminist Majority, the National Organization for Women, the National Women’s […]
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State ERA Introduced in Maine Legislature
Yesterday, lead sponsor Representative Lois Reckitt and lead co-sponsor Senator Rebecca Millett introduced a state Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in the Maine state legislature. The State ERA already has 116 co-sponsors. The lead sponsors believe the measure will pass with at least the two-thirds majority needed. If the State ERA passes with a two-thirds vote, […]
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Virginia Senate Passes ERA
The Republican majority Senate of the state of Virginia passed a resolution to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment on Tuesday, the 15th. The resolution was passed by a vote of 26 to 14.
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Equal Rights Amendment Passes Virginia Senate
BREAKING: The Virginia State Senate has passed the Equal Rights Amendment by a vote of 26-14. More details will be announced tomorrow.
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Virginia could be the Historic Vote to Guarantee Equal Rights Nationwide
For the past ten days Virginia lawmakers have been travelling the state on a bus tour advocating for Virginia to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. This is significant because Virginia could become the 38th state to ratify the ERA; 38 states are needed for ratification and a bipartisan group of Virginia legislators want Virginia to […]
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Illinois Becomes the 37th State to Ratify the ERA
On Wednesday, with a required three-fifths vote (72-45) in the state House, Illinois became the 37th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. The United States is now only one state short of guaranteeing women’s equality in the U.S. Constitution.
