Press Releases

Today, Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) led Representatives Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Donald McEachin (D-VA) in urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to schedule a vote on S.J. Res 1, which would remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) originally included in the preamble of House Joint Resolution 208 (92nd Congress).

The Commonwealth of Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA on January 27, 2020. With that ratification, the ERA has now met all requirements to become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the Archivist of the United States has yet to publish the ERA, citing the expiration of an arbitrary time limit included in the preamble of H.J.Res. 208.

"Recognition of the ERA as the 28th Amendment will reaffirm the rightful place of women as full and equal citizens of this country at a time when such a guarantee is under attack," wrote the Members in their letter, It has been nearly 100 years since the fight began to enshrine these words in our Constitution — 'equality of rights cannot be denied or abridged on account of sex.”'

"We believe the time has come to win that fight once and for all," the Members concluded.

Full text of the letter is available here and below.

Dear Leader Schumer,

We write to urge you to schedule a vote on S.J. Res 1, which would remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) originally included in the preamble of House Joint Resolution 208 (92nd Congress). The House of Representatives has passed the companion to the Senate resolution with bipartisan support, and the majority of the United States Senate has since cosponsored S.J. Res 1. We believe that the time is now for the Senate to act.

The Commonwealth of Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA on January 27, 2020. With that ratification, the ERA has now met all requirements to become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, the Archivist of the United States has yet to publish the ERA, citing the expiration of an arbitrary time limit included in the preamble of H.J.Res. 208.

On January 27, 2022, the two-year anniversary of Virginia’s ratification, President Biden called on Congress to pass legislation affirming the validity of the ERA. The President’s request followed the release of a memo from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel reaffirming Congress’s ability to remove the ERA’s deadline for ratification and end any ambiguity surrounding the Amendment’s ratification.

The Equal Rights Amendment enjoys robust support from the American people. Two separate polls conducted in 2020 by the Pew Research Center and the Associated Press – NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that support for the ERA stands at 78 percent and 75 percent respectively. Further, a 2022 poll conducted by Data for Progress showed that 85 percent of Americans support the inclusion of the ERA in the Constitution. This support spans the partisan divide, with 93 percent of Democrats, 79 percent of Republicans, and 79 percent of independents in favor.

Recognition of the ERA as the 28th Amendment will reaffirm the rightful place of women as full and equal citizens of this country at a time when such a guarantee is under attack. It has been nearly 100 years since the fight began to enshrine these words in our Constitution — “equality of rights cannot be denied or abridged on account of sex.”

We believe the time has come to win that fight once and for all.

Thank you for your consideration and longstanding commitment to advancing women’s equality in America.

Sincerely,