22222222Response to National Archives “Statement on the Equal Rights Amendment Ratification Process”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: vochoa@eracoalition.org

We are deeply disappointed by today’s statement from the Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan and Deputy Archivist William J. Bosanko. The Archivist’s position offers nothing new and has no bearing on the Equal Rights Amendment’s status as validly ratified. The ERA belongs to the people, and its future cannot be determined by bureaucratic choices or political hesitations.

“The National Archivist has a legal and moral obligation to follow the Constitution and publish amendments as directed by the states. In hiding behind bad-faith and non-binding time limits imposed on the ERA by a long-expired Congress, the archivist does what every American institution has done to women throughout our history: serves as an instrument of our oppression. We are incredibly disappointed in this decision, but not naive enough to say that we are surprised by it.” Said Alyssa Milano, Chair – ERA Coalition Board of Directors.

The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress in 1972, and by 2020, it met the constitutional requirement of ratification by 38 states. It is ready for publication as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Yet opponents of equality continue to cling to outdated technicalities, including a time limit placed in the preamble. History proves them wrong: the 27th Amendment, governing congressional pay, was ratified after more than 200 years.

The American Bar Association (ABA) affirms this truth. In adopting Resolution 601, the ABA recognizes the ERA as the 28th Amendment and calls for its immediate publication.

A clear majority of voters stand with us. Recent polling reveals that 61% of voters—including 87% of Democrats, 64% of Independents, and 35% of Republicans—believe the ERA must be published. This public mandate strengthens our resolve.

The battle for equality is far from over. President Biden has the opportunity—and the obligation—to publish the Equal Rights Amendment. But regardless of the obstacles we face, we will not give up. We will persist because gender equality is non-negotiable, and enshrining it in our Constitution is long overdue.

This is a fight for the people’s Constitution and for a more just and equitable country. The ERA has met all constitutional requirements, and we will see it recognized as the 28th Amendment.

In the name of The People’s Constitution, we will persist until the ERA is recognized.

The ERA Coalition is a movement of movements, comprising over 300 partner organizations nationwide, and representing 80 million individuals. We advocate for transformative change and spearhead both community and political movements aimed at securing Constitutional recognition. We increase public understanding of the need for codifying the equal treatment of people on the basis of sex in the Constitution, and the need to end sex inequality in all its forms. This is what unites us all.