On January 27th, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)– crossing the three-fourths threshold of support required of states for this amendment to become enshrined into law.  

But there is more to do to get this across the finish line. Reach out to your Representative now and urge them to support legislation to remove the ERA’s ratification deadline.

When the ERA passed Congress in 1972, lawmakers attached a 1977 ratification deadline to it, which they later extended to 1982. Legislation introduced by Congresswoman Jackie Speier will remove the deadline and the final obstacle to accepting the ERA as part of the U.S. Constitution. This legislation is moving to the floor of the U.S. House for a final vote next week. 

The League has worked for decades to pass the ERA and now is the time for it to become a permanent part of the U.S. Constitution; there is no time limit on equality. This is our moment and the perfect way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women earning the right to vote. It is time for Congress to remove the ERA deadline and make this amendment a reality!

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 clear in the ongoing fights against unequal pay, workplace harassment, pregnancy discrimination, domestic violence, and limited access to comprehensive healthcare. It is not enough to treat the symptoms; we must address the root cause of inequality by amending the Constitution.

As a country we are on the cusp of a victory for this long-awaited amendment. Congress must do the work to eliminate the timeline, so that the amendment can go into effect immediately.