RATIFICATION OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT

WHEREAS, the proposed federal Equal Rights Amendment, stating that "equality of rights under law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex," was ratified between 1972 and 1982 by 35 of the 38 states necessary to add it to the U.S. Constitution; and

WHEREAS, the Equal Rights Amendment has been introduced in the 107^th Congress (2001-2002) as H.J.R. 40, chief sponsor Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Stephen Horn (R-Calif.) and S.J.R. 10, Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.); and

WHEREAS, legal analysis ("The Equal Rights Amendment: Why the ERA Remains Legally Viable and Properly before the States," William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law, Spring 1997) indicates that it is possible that the ERA ratification could be accomplished if three more states ratify; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 98 chief sponsor Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) in the 107^th Congress proposed that "when legislatures of an additional three states ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, the House of Representatives shall take any legislative action necessary to verify the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the Constitution"; and

WHEREAS, since 1992, ERA ratification bills have been introduced and have seen legislative action in five (Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Virginia) of the 15 unratified states (the other 10 being Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah):

RESOLVED, that state, national, local organizations and individuals seek more sponsors of the ERA resolutions in the Congress and its ratification in all 15 unratified states to reach its goal of three states to add to the 35 already ratified for the necessary 38; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT urge Congress to hold hearings once there are sufficient House sponsors to secure passage of the ERA before the 2002 elections. Congress can force a floor vote once we have 218 sponsors.