Feinstein Joins Colleagues in Introducing Equal Rights Amendment

Washington—Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today joined a group of her colleagues in introducing the Equal Rights Amendment, known as the ERA, which would guarantee women equal rights under the U.S. Constitution.

            “It’s completely unacceptable that in 2019 our Constitution still doesn’t expressly guarantee gender equality,” Senator Feinstein said. “That’s why it’s imperative that Congress pass the Equal Rights Amendment and ensure that all Americans are protected from gender-based discrimination.”

            The ERA states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex – the ERA establishes within the United States Constitution the unambiguous and unassailable rights of women under the law.”

            The first version of the Equal Rights Amendment was written in 1923 and passed Congress in 1972 but fell short of the 38 states required to ratify by three states.

            In addition to Senator Feinstein and the resolution’s author, Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the resolution is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).