Support the Equal Rights Amendment Today
More than two years ago, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) – crossing the three-fourths threshold of state support required for this amendment to become enshrined in the US Constitution.
But there is more to do to get the ERA across the finish line. Please reach out to your senators and urge them to support legislation to remove the ERA’s ratification timeline. There is no time limit on equality. You can write Senator Casey here, and Senator Toomey here.
When the ERA passed Congress in 1972, lawmakers attached a seven-year ratification time limit to it, which they later extended to 1982. Legislation introduced by Senators Murkowski and Cardin will remove the time constraint and the final obstacle to accepting the ERA as part of the Constitution. This legislation has been passed by the House multiple times. Now, the Senate must act to ensure that the will and ratification rights of the states are respected.
Despite the significant legal and legislative advances that have been made in recent decades, women continue to face discrimination on the basis of sex. The symptoms of this systemic discrimination are apparent in the ongoing fights against unequal pay, workplace harassment, pregnancy discrimination, domestic violence, and limited access to comprehensive health care. It is not enough to treat the symptoms; we must address the root cause of inequality.
The ongoing reality of sex discrimination and the longstanding necessity for constitutional protection is unequivocally apparent in the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which erodes a fundamental right that women and people who may become pregnant have held for nearly 50 years. We have already seen nationwide the devastating consequences of this decision, which underscores the vital need for constitutional protections against the denial of equal rights. Here in PA, the right to abortion could be on the ballot as soon as next Spring.
The country has resoundingly declared that equality under the law is a principle we want to be enshrined in our Constitution. We are on the cusp of a victory in this almost 100-year fight. Congress must work to eliminate the time limit so that this long-awaited amendment can go into effect immediately. The time is now. Please contact Senator Casey and Senator Toomey today!