All eyes were on Virginia as it became the 38th state to ratify the ERA on January 27th. As the Democratic Senator Mamie Locke said: ” Equality based on sex is not just good for women, it is good for society.”
Next step is the US House of Representatives on February 10th when a vote will be taken to remove the amendment’s deadline date for good. In the meantime, the final three states to ratify the ERA (Virginia, Illinois and Nevada) have filed a suit through their respective State Attorney Generals on January 30th against Archivist David Ferriero demanding that he certify the ratification of the amendment.
“Women were intentionally omitted from the Constitution when it was written, despite the fervent pleas of Abigail Adams for our inclusion. Generation after generation of grandmothers, mothers, daughters and granddaughters have dreamed of fixing this shameful omission. That is what the ERA does for us, and we welcome the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. We are determined to see it through and we will never give up on an equal future.” Carol Jenkins, Co-President and CEO of the ERA Coalition (01/30/20).