ERA in the News: JAN 18 2024 - JAN 31 2025

NATIONAL

Jan. 17 The ERA Solidifies Women’s Rights in the Constitution as the 28th Amendment - Center for American Progress “This is the most substantive advancement of women’s rights in this country since the 19th amendment, which gave women the constitutional right to vote in 1920. The United States now joins the 85 percent of countries in the world that have a gender provision in their federal constitutions.” Center for American Progress

Jan. 17 Biden announces Equal Rights Amendment is the law of the land | Vox “If Biden had actually been serious about fighting and trying to win a legal battle to make this amendment go into effect, he surely would have begun that battle long before the imminent end of his term.” Vox

Jan. 17 Biden says Equal Rights Amendment should be ratified, though unclear it matters “President Biden on Friday said he believes the Equal Rights Amendment is the "law of the land" as the U.S. Constitution's 28th Amendment — though with only days left in his term, his power on the issue is not immediately clear.” Axios

Jan. 17 What Biden didn’t do on the Equal Rights Amendment is more important than what he did - POLITICO “But what matters, legal experts say, is what Biden didn’t do: He didn’t order the archivist of the United States to formally publish the amendment. And he didn’t direct the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel to withdraw its written opinion that the deadline for ratification expired long ago.” Politico

Jan. 17 Biden Says the Equal Rights Amendment Is Law. Now What? “And even with Biden in the White House since 2021, no further action had been taken until recent weeks." The Cut

Jan. 17 Biden claims Equal Rights Amendment formally added to US Constitution - JURIST - News “Following President Biden’s opinion, whether the National Archives and Records Administration will recognize the ERA as a part of the US Constitution remains to be seen.” Jurist News

Jan. 18 President Biden declares the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution: Here's what it could mean for women and girls - Equality Now “With most constitutional amendments, the final step to ensure that states are aware the Constitution has changed is publication by the National Archivist; however in this case, as explained by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, while President Biden did not direct the National Archivist to publish, as the leader of the United States his announcement should ultimately “supersede” her purely ministerial role.” Equality Now

Jan. 18 Biden says Equal Rights Amendment has passed, but won't take the next step - Chicago Sun-Times “The Biden administration had previously claimed that Congress must authorize publication, citing a long-expired time limit to the ERA when it went to the states for ratification in 1972. However, the Constitution makes no mention of such time limits, nor does it give Congress the authority to limit the states’ ability to ratify an amendment once proposed.” Chicago Sun times

Jan. 20 UAW Statement on President Biden's Affirmation of the Equal Rights Amendment - UAW | United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America “The United Auto Workers applauds President Joe Biden’s strong affirmation of the Equal Rights Amendment and his commitment to ensuring that women in this country have full equality under the law.” UAW

Jan. 20 Biden Declares ERA Is “Law of the Land” But Fails to Back Up Announcement with Executive Action | Democracy Now! “Advocates say Biden could have taken a further step and ordered the National Archives to publish the amendment and enter it officially in the Constitution, a move which would have triggered a legal battle with Republicans.” Democracy Now!

Jan. 20 Biden's 'Declaration' About the Equal Rights Amendment Doesn't Mean Shit - Jezebel “If Biden really wanted to make the ERA the “law of the land,” he would have needed to direct the head of the National Archives to ignore the Department of Justice. But he didn't do that—or really anything for women's rights during his presidency.” Jezebel

Jan. 21 The Legal Status of the Equal Rights Amendment - Ms. Magazine “Former President Joe Biden’s statement that the Equal Rights Amendment has been ratified and should be deemed part of the Constitution is welcome and correct as to the law. But it also is likely to engender great confusion and unfortunately has no legal effect. (The statement has now been removed from the White House website, but you can read it in full below.)” Ms. Magazine

Jan. 22 Does it Matter Whether the Equal Rights Amendment is Now Part of the Constitution? | Michael C. Dorf | Verdict | Legal Analysis and Commentary from Justia “However, as I noted in a column on this site five years ago—on the occasion of Virginia having apparently become the 38th and thus tipping-point state to ratify the ERA—any “suggestion that the Archivist should decide an amendment’s validity is itself bonkers. The Archivist need not be and currently is not a constitutional lawyer.” The Archivist typically is not a lawyer at all.” Verdict Justia

Jan. 22 Biden affirms Equal Rights Amendment - Beverly Press & Park Labrea NewsBeverly Press & Park Labrea News “Nicholson, now 76, was on the frontlines of the Women’s Liberation movement in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1982, she fasted with six other women at the Illinois statehouse in attempt to convince the state to ratify the ERA. Nicholson was also present in Virginia in 2020, when it became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, which is the number necessary for inclusion in the Constitution. Based on that ratification, the ERA could be argued as having gone into effect on July 27, 2022 – exactly two years later.” Beverly Press