President Joe Biden on the Equal Rights Amendment
For over 50 years, I have passionately supported the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as a cornerstone of justice, equality, and fairness. Discrimination based on sex has no place in our nation, and the time has come to affirm women’s full equality under the law once and for all.
On January 27, 2020, history was made when Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA. Fulfilling the three fourths requirement for constitutional amendments. This milestone should have ensured the ERA’s formal adoption as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The American Bar Association (ABA), along with leading constitutional scholars, has affirmed that the ERA has cleared all procedural hurdles necessary for its inclusion in the Constitution.
Despite these affirmations, the ERA has yet to receive its rightful recognition as the law of the land. This delay is not just a procedural oversight but a fundamental failure to honor the expressed will of the American people and the states. By ratifying the ERA, we guarantee equal rights and protections for all, regardless of sex.
As a nation, we are duty-bound to uphold these values. I believe, as do three-fourths of our states, that the ERA is already the 28th Amendment. Now is the time to embrace this reality and enshrine it fully within our Constitution. The era of inequality has persisted for too long. Recognizing the ERA is a vital step forward in building a more just, inclusive society where everyone can thrive under equal protection of the law.
Let us affirm the equality that Americans have long demanded and take a historic step toward justice. The Equal Rights Amendment is not just an ideal it is the law of the land.
