One Day After the House Passage of the Resolution to Remove Deadline, Underwood Holds Press Conference on the Important of the Equal Rights Amendment

Press Conference

Today, following the passage of the legislation in the House of Representatives to remove the deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) held a press conference to discuss the importance of the ERA. The legislation, H.J. Res. 79, would facilitate timely ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution and paves the way forward for passage of this historic amendment and reaffirming Congress' support for women's equality. In her remarks, Underwood celebrated the House passage of the legislation and highlighted the urgent need to include the ERA in the U.S. Constitution.

During the press conference, Former State Representative, Steve Andersson, retired, who led the fight in Illinois to pass the ERA, joined Underwood to applaud Congressional action to remove the deadline for the ERA. Women's rights advocates Laura Welch, Founder and President of the Will County National Organization of Women, and Mary Gibson, joined Underwood to share why the ERA is so important to women in their community and Illinois.

"We live in an era where women are leading in ways that they never have before. Women are breaking down barriers and shattering glass ceilings in education, at work, in the law, in the military, and at home. But legal gender discrimination, pay disparities, and inequality remain. And they won't go away on their own," said Underwood. "So, when people question if we still need the ERA. I am here to say, unequivocally, yes. Today, women still aren't paid equally for equal work, women face discrimination for being pregnant, and women face sexual assault and domestic violence. It's unacceptable. Americans needed protections like these when the ERA was first proposed in 1923 and we still need these protections today."

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