[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 22, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, nearly 40 years have passed since the 
Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment (also known as the Women's 
Equality Amendment). This historic Constitutional Amendment was 
intended to ensure equality for women and men in all areas of society.
  The 27th amendment to the Constitution, which concerns Congressional 
pay raises, was accepted after a 203 year ratification period. When 
Congress passed the ERA in 1972, it provided that the measure had to be 
ratified by the necessary number of states (38) within 7 years. This 
was later extended to the still tight deadline of 10 years, but 
unfortunately the ERA was just three states shy of full ratification 
when the deadline passed in 1982. We believe Congress should give the 
states another chance.
  In the past several decades, women have made extraordinary strides 
toward achieving equality--but this progress is not irreversible. 
Without the ERA, women have often been denied the ability to seek 
justice when they have experienced discrimination. The Supreme Court 
decision in the Virginia Military Institute case (Virginia v. United 
States) helped clarify that gender ``classifications may not be used . 
. . to create or perpetuate the legal, social, and economic inferiority 
of women.'' However, laws can still perpetuate gender classifications 
that keep women from achieving their full potential. Passage of the ERA 
is the Constitutional affirmation of the Supreme Court decision.
  Our democracy rests on the principle of ``liberty and justice for 
all.'' We need the ERA to ensure that this concept applies equal to 
women. I am pleased to introduce this bill with 158 bipartisan original 
cosponsors and urge my colleagues to support it.

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