1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was first proposed in 1923 and states that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." Despite being passed by Congress in 1972, it fell three states short of the 38 needed for ratification before the original deadline expired in 1982. However, in recent years there has been renewed momentum with Virginia becoming the 38th state to ratify the ERA in 2020. This revived the debate around whether the expired deadline is binding or if Congress can accept Virginia's ratification and certify the ERA into the Constitution. Numerous lawsuits have been filed by state attorneys general arguing that Congress can accept the ERA after removing the previous deadline. Women have waited nearly a century for this bedrock guarantee of equality. Ratifying the ERA would enshrine critical protections against sex discrimination in employment, education, and many other areas of life into the nation's governing charter. It would provide a stronger legal foundation for laws aimed at ensuring equal rights and opportunities regardless of sex. Request that Congress swiftly reintroduce the ERA and accept the 38 existing state ratifications to finally make explicit equality on the basis of sex a constitutional reality.