By: Daneene Monroe Rusnak
2^nd Vice President of Advocacy, NFBPWC 2020-2024 

On Saturday, February 24, I had the opportunity to spend a little time virtually attending the California Federation’s Winter Board and Public Policy Forum. As always, I was impressed with the quality of presenters, the efficiency of the organization, and the enthusiasm the federation has for advocacy. Many thanks to CFBPW for the invitation. 

During the event, Linda Wilson presented an excellent history and overview of the Equal Rights Amendment. With her permission, I’m sharing some of it here. It’s a great reminder of what we are fighting for……and how long we’ve been fighting!  

Linda writes:     Just a little history –  

Alice Paul and Crystal Eastman wrote the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which was introduced in Congress on December 13, 1923. In 1937 the National Federation of Business and Professional Women voted to support it becoming the first organization after Alice Paul’s Women’s Party to work for its passage. The House approved it in October 1971 and the Senate in March 1972. Congress set a deadline of March 22, 1979 for ratification. It was then sent to the States for ratification. In the late 1970s members on BPW contributed $250,000 to its ratification. By the deadline only 35 States had ratified. Congress then extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Since 1978 there have been efforts in Congress to remove the deadline. It was thought the ERA was dead as only 35 States had ratified by the new deadline, but in 2017 Nevada ratified the amendment, in 2018 Illinois ratified it, and in 2020 Virginia ratified it, which made the 38th State needed for ratification.  

Who is responsible for ratification of amendments? 

According to Article V of the Constitution it is Congress and the States who are responsible for ratification of amendments. The Executive Branch is not involved. It is Congress that needs to make sure the U. S. Archivist publishes amendments.  

Where are we? 

Two bills have been introduced in Congress to express that the Equal Rights Amendment has been validly ratified and that it is enforceable as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. The bills also call on the U. S. Archivist to certify and publish it without delay. The House Bill is HJ Res 82 Bush, Cori (D-MO-1). It has 70 co-sponsors – all Democrats. Of these 12 are from California. If your representative is not on the list, contact her or him to be a co-sponsor. The Senate Bill is SJ Res 39 Gillibrand, Kristen (D-NY). It has 22 co-sponsors – 21 Democrats and 1 Independent Sanders from Vermont. Both California Senators are co-sponsors.  

The House bill to remove the deadline for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment is H.J. Res. 25 Pressley, Avanna (D-MA-7). It has 209 co-sponsors – 208 Democrats and one Republican Brian Fitzpatrick from Pennsylvania. Of these 40 are from California. July 18th Rep. Pressley moved to discharge the bill from the House Judiciary Committee. To do this she needs 218 votes. After the discharge there would be a vote of the full House. By the way the discharge route was the way that the ERA was able to get out of Committee in 1971 and to then have a vote of the House.  

The comparable Senate bill is SJ Res 4 Cardin, Benjamin (D-MD) It has 53 co-sponsors – 48 Democrats, 3 

Independents (King from Maine, Sanders from Vermont and Sinema from Arizona) and 2 Republicans (Murkowski from Alaska and Collins from Maine). Both California Senators are co-sponsors. Because of the Filibuster rule, it needs 70 co-sponsors. 

The NFBPWC website nfbpwc.org has OneClickPolitics and can be used to contact your Senators to co-sponsor these bills. You can also sign up to join NFBPWC Advocacy alert by texting advocate1919 to 313131. 

Pressure needs to be put on Congress. All House members are up for re-election. Ask them in person and/or via Social Media or phone where they stand on the ERA. In California one Senator position is up for election. Ask those running in person and/or via Social Media or phone where they stand on the ERA. Write letters to the editor and post on Social Media why the ERA needs to be ratified and urge your followers to contact their Congress members to support the previously mentioned bills. 

The world is watching the United States’ inaction on ratification of the ERA. November 3, 2023 the United Nations Human Rights Committee urged the United States to ratify the ERA. We have been trying to pass the ERA for 100+ years, let’s get it done! 

Discharge Petition Tracking 

Which legislators have signed the discharge petition and which legislators do we need to call, and demand sign the discharge petition? You can check this list for all signatories.   

Check the list for all signatories here. 

Here’s some suggested verbiage when connecting with your representative about the Discharge Petition for 

HJ Res 4 => Suggested Verbiage for Discharge Petition Support 

View the table above to see which MOC are viable targets for signature. If you see your MOC reach out and encourage them! Share this information with folks you know who are constituents of these representatives.  Link to the full document here.