Murkowski and Colleagues Reintroduce Resolution Affirming Support for the Equal Rights Amendment
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joins Mazie Hirono (D-HI), along with Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), and Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), 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.
“The state of Alaska ratified the ERA and amended the State Constitution in 1972, and that is a legacy I am proud to continue advocating for at the federal level,” said Senator Murkowski. “It is past time for the equal rights of women to be guaranteed in the United States Constitution, and I will continue to advocate for the passage of this resolution until that is achieved.”
“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.”
“For centuries, women – particularly women of color and LGBTQ+ folks – have been treated as less than – less deserving of pay, less protected by law, less free to show up as our authentic selves in a world that constantly pushes us down,” said Rep. Pressley. “By enshrining the ERA into law, we are taking the necessary step to center our most vulnerable and marginalized communities, close the gender wage gap, combat sex discrimination, reduce gender-based violence, ensure freedom over our bodies, and more. The time is now to affirm gender equality once and for all.”
“The Equal Rights Amendment is a short yet powerful declaration — ‘Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,’” Congresswoman Dean said. “Words matter—and we must be explicit in our Constitution to ensure that equality is a reality for every person in our nation. I’m grateful for Congresswoman Pressley’s leadership in this century-long fight and in the enduring legacy of Congresswoman Shirley Chislom and others before us. We must expand the mission of the 19th Amendment and fulfill the promise of the ERA.”
"When I was 27, I represented my state at the National Women’s Conference in Houston—and I still have the ERA pin I wore that day. I’ve kept it all these years because the fight isn’t over. Two years ago, I went to Seneca Falls and met with the next generation of activists. Let me tell you—they are just as committed, just as fearless, as I was back then. And like me, they’re still waiting for this country to guarantee women the same constitutional protections as men,” said Congresswoman Garcia. "Those fighting against the ERA are the same ones who fear powerful women—the ones who pay us less, promote us less, and try to silence us. It’s long overdue to make the ERA the 28th Amendment of the Constitution. I stand today for justice, for fairness, and for future generations of women and girls who deserve fairness, justice, and equality of opportunities."
“There is no deadline for equal rights,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “The United States Congress and the required number of states have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, which is over 100 years in the making. An arbitrary deadline will not stop progress on equal rights. Now is the time for Congress to pass this resolution to ensure that we enshrine equal protections for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers who have championed this cause.”
"Generations of women, especially women of color, have relentlessly fought for equal rights in a system that has long denied them fairness under the law — and that fight is far from over,” said Rep. McClellan. “I led the fight in Virginia to make our Commonwealth the final state needed to ratify the ERA, taking a stand on the right side of history. Now, we must finish the job by enshrining gender equality in the Constitution once and for all.”
"Women throughout history have fought tirelessly against sexism and inequality, refusing to accept a world that denied them their full rights. Their courage paved the way for progress—but the fight is far from over. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Mazie Hirono, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley in reintroducing this important resolution, recognizing the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. This Women's History Month we renew our commitment to the pursuit of true gender equality. The women who came before us didn’t give up, neither will we," said Zakiya Thomas, President & CEO, ERA Coalition.
The full text of the resolution can be found here.
Background
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.” When the resolution was passed by Congress on March 22, 1972, Congress set a deadline of 1977, and later extended to 1982, for the amendment to be adopted by three-quarters of the states required for ratification. The ERA reached the 38-state threshold in 2020.
Senator Murkowski has cosponsored this resolution in every Congress since it was first introduced during the 112th Congress.
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