By: Nancy Werner
NFBPWC Advocacy Team ERA Lead (2022-2026) 

EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT – A Special Report from Patricia Rayl 

Advocacy –Equal Rights Amendment. “Equality of rights under the law shall not  be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex” needs to be placed into our Constitution. While most states have laws prohibiting discrimination of any kind based on sex, proponents of the E.R.A. say laws can be reversed or eliminated. Having a Constitutional Amendment would cement those rights.  

Today we are honored to have a report from Patricia Rayl who has a firsthand experience story to share with us. Please take time to read this excellent review. 

NFBPWC members Susan Murphy and I were in Washington DC recently as part of the “Project Sentinel.” 

We came to Washington D.C. and specifically the White House, to protest in support of the Equal Rights  Amendment. I am sure most of you know, that the Equal Rights Amendment was big news in the1970s and  ‘80s. But you might not know the details about why it’s not already the 28^th Amendment to the U.S.  Constitution. 

People may remember the name of Alice Paul, and her struggle in support of U.S. women’s rights to vote.  After the 19^th Amendment was codified into law, she realized that women still didn’t have equality under the 

Constitution. She created the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, and it was first introduced to Congress in  1924. 

The amendment states simply: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United  State or by any state on account of sex.” 

The ERA picked up steam during the women’s movement of the 1970’s, and I was 9 years old when Michigan passed it in 1972.  

I watched with dismay as the effort fizzled in the 1980’s because of the deadline placed into the preamble of the amendment. Then, the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 was ratified as the 27^th Amendment to the Constitution. That meant there was no actual deadline for ratification. 

Support was rallied, and the final three states needed to pass the Equal Rights Amendment-Nevada, Illinois and Virginia being the last in January 2020. Unfortunately, this was during the Trump Administration, and then Attorney General Bill Barr instructed the National Archivist not to publish the 28^th Amendment, which is the last step in making it official. The Equal Rights Amendment  has been in limbo ever since.  

Recently, the American Bar Association dedicated time and scholarship to look at the issues holding up the  Equal Rights Amendment and issued a statement that the ERA is already law of the land. The publishing by  the National Archivist is an administrative step, and the  

Equal Rights Amendment stands as ratified. 

The U.S. Constitution does not have any statement about time limit preambles, nor is there any support in U.S. law for a state to withdraw its amendment support once it has passed. 

The Project Sentinel effort was to stand, as the suffragettes did in front of President Woodrow Wilson’s White House, but this time in support of the 28^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A group of women from around the country gathered with signs to Joe Biden to instruct the National Archivist to publish the ERA as the 28^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

You, too, can text President Biden’s office at (302) 404-0880. I do daily! 

Patricia Rayl, BPW &AAUW member 

SIGN4ERA – May I encourage you AGAIN to take the time RIGHT NOW to sign onto this link:  http://www.sign4ERA.org. When you visit this site, there is much information given to you. Take time to  read all the interesting articles. Need a program? Just take time to read and prepare. 

And never forget to keep in touch with your U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators using the NFBPWC “One  Click.”