ERA in the News: JAN 4-10, 2020
Greetings ERA allies!
As you have likely heard by now, this week the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel responded to the National Archives request for guidance by the on the subject of the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. In the statement, the OCL opines that the ERA is not valid for ratification because the deadline assigned to the amendment passed in 1982.
To read the statements from the DOJ and the National Archives, click the links below.
The Alice Paul Institute's response statement is as follows:
"The memo released by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel is addressed to the Archivist of the National Archives. It does not bind Congress or the courts to the opinions stated within the memo.
Congress may continue to move resolutions forward related to the Equal Rights Amendment's ratification to the U.S. Constitution. Article V of the Constitution states that Congress may propose amendments to the Constitution, which shall then be ratified by the states. There is no constitutional role for the Executive Branch or the National Archivist in making the amendment legally effective. The archivist’s role in the amendment process is purely ministerial."
Adding to a week of huge developments for the ERA is another legal challenge filed this week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by Equal Means Equal, The Yellow Roses, and Katherine Weitbrecht. The lawsuit names the U.S. Archivist David Ferriero as the defendant and aims to challenge the validity of the original deadline assigned to the ERA.
IN VIRGINIA:
VARatify has announced that the Virginia State Senate will hold a debate and vote on the ERA on January 15, 2020. You can keep close tabs on what is happening in the Virginia Assembly by following the dynamic organization on their Facebook page or their Twitter feed.
We invite you to watch a video of the members of the Virginia Senate opening the discussion on the ERA on January 9, 2020. In the video Michelle Kallen, Deputy Solicitor General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, addresses the DOJ's memo and notes that Article V of the Constitution, which defines the amendment process, assigns specific roles to Congress and the states but does not assign a role to the Executive Branch. She also observes that this memo expressly contradicts the Office of Legal Counsel’s prior position.
UPDATE ON CONGRESSIONAL BILLS TO REMOVE THE DEADLINE
House of Representatives: H.J. Res 79 = 224 co-sponsors (no new this week)
Senate: S.J. Res 6 = 38 co-sponsors
Now, on to this week’s news stories.
States in green are where the ERA was in the news.
NATIONAL
Jan. 3 How LGBTQ+ policies changed dramatically in the last year, The Hill
Jan. 3 13 TV Shows Based on True Stories Coming in 2020, Popsugar
Jan. 5 Virginia Poised to Ratify Equal Rights Amendment, NPR
Jan. 5 The shocking reason why Gen X women can't sleep, New York Post
Jan. 5 Patricia Arquette: US 'on the brink of war', The Hill
Jan. 6 Democrats, Newly Dominant in Virginia, Race to Make New Laws, New York Times
Jan. 6 Ed Martin's Phyllis Schlafly Eagles Attacks US Archivist in Desperate Bid to Prevent Ratification of Equal Rights Amendment, Right Wing Watch
Jan. 7 Equal Rights Amendment Backers Sue to Void Deadline, Bloomberg Law
Jan. 7 The drive to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, explained, Vox
Jan. 8 Lawsuit seeks to ease adoption of Equal Rights Amendment, Associated Press
Jan. 8 Virginia May Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, What Would Come Next is Murky, NPR
Jan. 8 Equal Rights Amendment Supporters Rally Outside Virginia Legislature, NPR
Jan. 8 DOJ: Too late to pass Equal Rights Amendment, yahoo news
Jan. 8 Justice Department says deadline to ratify Equal Rights Amendment has expired, CNN
Jan. 8 Trump administration casts doubt on women's rights amendment push, Reuters
Jan. 9 Watch: Cate Blanchett as Antifeminist, Antigay Phyllis Schlafly, Advocate.com
Jan. 9 Mrs. America First-Look: Is This 2020'S First Must-Watch?, Vanity Fair
Jan. 10 Mrs. America trailer features Cate Blanchett and Sara Paulson in journey to make Equal Rights Amendment , Daily Mail
CALIFORNIA
Jan. 8 Justice Department: Too late to pass Equal Rights Amendment, San Francisco Chronicle
CONNECTICUT
Jan. 5 Greenwich remember women for fought for equal rights, representation, CT Insider
HAWAII
Jan. 9 Virginia May Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.; What Would Come Next is Murky, Hawaii Public Radio
ILLINOIS
Jan. 8 Justice Department: Too late to pass Equal Rights Amendment, WIFR
MAINE
Jan. 9 People gather in Bangor for Equal Rights Amendment forum, WABI
MICHIGAN
Jan. 4 Newsmakers: Longest-serving Michigan Gov. William Milliken dies, Traverse City Record Eagle
MINNESOTA
Jan. 8 Lawsuit seeks to ease adoption of Equal Rights Amendment, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Jan. 8 Top issues in 2020 Virginia legislative session, Minneapolis Star Tribune
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jan. 4 Ok Millenials, You Can't Blame Everything on the Boomers, The Keene Sentinel
NEW JERSEY
Jan. 5 Bar Report- Yearling Celebration of 19th Amendment Centennial, Law.com
NEW YORK
Jan. 4 Cuomo pushes new Equal Rights Amendment for New York State, amNY
Jan. 4 Cuomo: NY should expand anti-discrimination protections, CNY Central
Jan. 9 State of the State: Cuomo proposes Equal Rights Amendment, NBC10 New York
OHIO
Jan. 6 Virginia Poised to Ratify Equal Rights Amendment, WOSU
Jan. 8 Lawsuit seeks to ease adoption of Equal Rights Amendment, Dayton Daily News
OKLAHOMA
Jan. 8 News briefs, Tulsa World
PENNSYLVANIA
Jan. 5 Votes for women! Local BPW members visit home of suffragette Alice Paul, Observer-Reporter
TENNESSEE
Jan. 6 What voters know--and like-- about Steve Cohen, The Daily Memphian
UTAH
Jan. 7 Poll shows broad support among Utahns for ratifying the Equal RIghts Amendment, Utah Policy
VERMONT
Jan. 3 Cuomo proposes expanded equal rights amendment, WCAX 3
VIRGINIA
Jan. 3 Checking up on 2019 resolutions for 2020 work, Daily Press
Jan. 3 Editorial: How the 2020s may be like the 1920s, Roanoke Times
Jan. 3 You Don't Say: OK, Millennials; it's your turn, Daily Press
Jan. 3 A Richmond Session Like No Other to Convene Next Week, Falls Church News Press
Jan. 4 Va. could become 38th state to ratify ERA, Shore Daily News
Jan. 4 Journal Junction for January 4th, Martinsburg Journal
Jan. 4 Video: Speakers at Fairfax County Legislative Delegation Briefing Speak on Wide Variety of Topics, Blue Virginia
Jan. 4 Democrats prepare to rule in Richmond as Republicans adapt to being in the minority, Roanoke Times
Jan. 5 Here's what DC suburbs can expect from Virginia and Maryland legislative sessions, Washington Post
Jan. 6 Fairfax state senators predict action on guns, environment, Inside NoVa
Jan. 6 State legislature convenes Wednesday, The Winchester Star
Jan. 6 Virginia poised to ratify Equal Rights Amendment, WVIR
Jan. 6 Inaugural Virginia Women's Equality Legislative Summit kicks off 2020 General Assembly, WWBT NBC 12 News
Jan. 6 Loudon County Board of Supervisors installed at National Conference Center, Loudon Times-Mirror
Jan. 7 Editorial: Equal Rights Amendment: It's time, Virginia, Richmond.com
Jan. 7 Virginia poised to ratify Equal Rights Amendment, WVIR
Jan. 7 Va. General Assembly to begin session under Democratic control for first time in 25 years, WSET
Jan. 7 Virginia Democrats lay out agenda ahead of General Assebly session, WTKR
Jan. 7 How Might Virginia's New Legislative Trifecta Affect Employers in the Commonwealth in 2020?, JD Supra
Jan. 9 DOJ Says It's Too Late to Pass the Equal Rights Amendment, NBC4 Washington
Jan. 9 Supporters, opponents rally outside Virginia State Capitol as 2020 General Assembly session begins, WTVR
Jan. 9 Dems tackle agenda including gun control, equal rights at opening of legislative session, WJLA
Jan. 9 PHOTOS: Thursday, January 9 at the Virginia General Assembly, Richmond.com
OBITUARIES
Jan. 4 Newsmakers: Longest-serving Michigan Gov. William Milliken dies,Traverse City Record Eagle
OPPOSITION
The Opposition section of the newsletter is intended to inform our subscribers about the arguments against the the ERA. Please be mindful of factual inaccuracies and content warnings for articles that could be hurtful or upsetting.
Jan. 3 Letter: Women don't need ERA to flourish, Aberdeen News
Jan. 6 State-level Dems eye ERA ratification, One News Now
Jan. 6 Democrats Seek to Fulfill Promise of Until-Birth Abortion in Virginia, The Federalist
Jan. 6 Democrats Push Legislation in Virginia to Legalize Killing Babies in Abortions Up to Birth, LifeNews
Jan. 8 Justice Department says Equal Rights Amendment is dead despite Democratic push, Washington Examiner
Jan. 9 Marshall applauds DoJ opinion stating ERA ratification window has expired, Yellowhammer News