WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined several of her Senate and House colleagues in reintroducing a bipartisan, bicameral resolution to overcome a significant obstacle to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). This resolution would eliminate an arbitrary deadline set by Congress in 1972, paving the way to for the ERA to become the 28th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex.
“I am proud that Hawaii was the first state to ratify the ERA, but we must finally amend the Constitution to ensure that the next generation of women are guaranteed equal rights,” said Senator Hirono. “With the reintroduction of this resolution, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting for equal opportunity and equal rights for all. It has been over a century-long fight to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and we won’t stop until gender equity is enshrined in the Constitution.”
The Equal Rights Amendment states that “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex.” Currently, the Constitution does not contain any explicit protections guaranteeing equal rights for women. On March 22, 1972, Hawaii was the first state to ratify the ERA—on the same day that it passed in Congress. A seven-year time limit for ratification was implemented, requiring the amendment to be ratified by 38 states in order for it to become part of the U.S. Constitution. In 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA and effectively fulfill the threshold required for the amendment to become part of the Constitution.
In addition to Senator Hirono, this resolution was cosponsored by Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and U.S. Representatives Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-IL), and Jennifer McClellan (D-VA).
The full text of the resolution is available here.
###