The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and women in matters of divorce, property, employment, and other matters. The first version of an ERA was written by Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman and introduced in Congress in December 1923….
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Senate Republicans blocked a procedural measure on a joint resolution to remove an expired deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which has never been added to the Constitution, a century after it was first introduced to Congress.
Fifty-one senators voted to take up the measure, with 47 voting against doing so. The procedural vote Thursday needed 60 in support for the Senate to formally take up the measure.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., announced the vote in a speech on Monday. On the timing of it, Schumer spokesperson Angelo Roefaro said in an email, “We chose this week after working for months with the advocates, including Gloria Steinem.”
A version of the ERA that Congress passed in 1972 states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”
The White House on Thursday issued a statement supporting the Senate measure, saying the administration “strongly supports” nixing the 1982 deadline, citing a recent Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel assessment of the legality of doing so….
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Had the joint resolution cleared both chambers, however, it would not have needed to go to President Joe Biden for his signature. Joint resolutions to amend the Constitution merely need to clear the two-thirds vote threshold in each chamber.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine were the lone GOP senators to vote to move to the measure; Schumer changed his affirmative vote to no. Under the chamber’s rules, doing so gives him the option of bringing up the measure again down the road.
Democrats are eager to tie the constitutional amendment to a list of recent abortion-related decisions by federal courts….
ERA s appeared in every Republican Party platform into the 1960’s. See, for example, the 1956 GOP platform:
Equal Rights.
We recommend to Congress the submission of a constitutional amendment providing equal rights for men and women.
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/republican-party-platform-1956