Bonamici Backs Equal Rights Amendment in Historic Vote

Press Release

Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) supported ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment with her vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Equal Rights Act (ERA), which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, originally passed Congress in 1972 but included an arbitrary deadline for states to ratify. The vote today eliminates that deadline. The state of Virginia ratified the ERA in January, crossing the threshold of 38 states required to amend the Constitution.

Bonamici spoke in support of the Equal Rights Act on the House floor. Video of her remarks can be found here.

"This year is the centennial of the 19th amendment, yet women are still fighting for full and equal rights under the law," Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici said on the House floor. "Women continue to face many barriers to true equality, including pregnancy and gender discrimination, unequal pay, and a lack of access to a full range of reproductive health care services.

"The Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution would provide for fundamental equality for women, regardless of who is President, the makeup of the Supreme Court, or changes in federal law.

"Congress first approved the ERA in 1972, and my home state of Oregon was quick to ratify it the following year. Now 38 states, the required three-fourths under the Constitution, have ratified the amendment.

"Today, Congress will stand with our states and make it clear that it is time--actually way past time--to adopt the ERA. It's not too late to do the right thing. It's not too late for equality."

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