Menendez Continues Push For Equal Rights Amendment

Statement

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today, on the 98th anniversary of when the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first introduced in Congress, continues his years-long push to ratify the ERA as part of the U.S. Constitution. Earlier this year, for the seventh consecutive Congress, Sen. Menendez reintroduced the Equal Rights Amendment, which would guarantee women complete equal rights under the U.S. Constitution.

"Generation after generation of women have fought to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the U.S. Constitution since it was first introduced in Congress 98 years ago, as written by New Jersey Suffragist Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman," said Sen. Menendez. "While we have made strides in creating a more equal and just society, we have recently found ourselves fighting the same old forces that would rather turn back the clock on women's equality, instead of working together to build a Nation that guarantees all women can access the full promise of America."

Sen. Menendez added, "I believe it is long past time to cement gender equality in our nation's Constitution and that is why we must all tap into the revolutionary spirit of the suffragist movement. We must do everything we can to finally secure full equality under the law regardless of sex. As the son of the strongest woman I ever knew, the father of a brilliant daughter, and the grandfather to three beautiful granddaughters, I reaffirm my commitment to getting this done and I won't stop fighting until they and all women and girls in the United States are fully represented and protected by the Constitution."

New Jersey suffragist leader Alice Paul, who founded the National Woman's Party and was instrumental in passing the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote, authored the first version of the Equal Rights Amendment, which was first introduced in Congress 98 years ago today on December 10, 1923. It passed Congress in 1972 but fell short of the 38 states required to be ratified as part of the U.S. Constitution.

Joining Sen. Menendez in support of the ERA are Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.-12) is the lead House sponsor of the ERA.

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