Sen. Schumer Guarantees Vote on Equal Rights Modification Earlier than April 2023

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Reps. Bush (sixth from left), Maloney, Moore, Kaptur and Chu, alongside ERA advocates, together with Ellie Smeal (proper), president of Feminist Majority. (Courtesy of Carolyn Maloney)

Late afternoon on Wednesday, Dec. 21, Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) marched from the Home steps to the Senate to demand a vote on the Equal Rights Modification (ERA). They had been joined by feminist advocates, together with Ellie Smeal of Feminist Majority, Zakiya Thomas and Bettina Hager of the ERA Coalition, creator Kate Kelly, NOW vice chairman Bear Atwood and members of Era Ratify.

The ERA supporters pointed to the Home-passed H.Res.17—laws to remove the arbitrary deadline to ratify the ERA. Companion laws within the Senate, S.J.Res.1, which is led by Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), is cosponsored by all 50 Senate Democrats, plus Republican Sens. Murkowski and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Regardless of these eleventh hour heroic efforts, the Senate didn’t take up the ERA earlier than the 12 months’s shut—however the feminist leaders and congressional members secured a promise from Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that he’d deliver it up for a vote earlier than April of subsequent 12 months.

“2023 marks the a centesimal 12 months anniversary because the Equal Rights Modification was launched,” stated Maloney, Bush, Chu, Kaptur and Moore in an announcement. “Our authorities’s failure to finalize ratification of the ERA has prevented our nation from enshrining gender equality within the Structure.

“Whereas we’re dissatisfied that the Senate was unable to carry a vote on the ERA this 12 months, Majority Chief Schumer has dedicated to assembly with advocates on the high of the brand new 12 months and said that he’ll intention to carry a vote on the ERA earlier than the tip of subsequent March. We’re grateful for Senator Schumer’s help, and we stay hopeful that this new 12 months would be the final 12 months our Structure goes with out point out of equal rights for all.”

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Reps. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.) and Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), together with feminist leaders from Feminist Majority, NOW, ERA Coalition and Era Ratify. (Makhfi Azizi)

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