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We need to keep moving forward. by Betty Folliard (as posted in the StarTribune August 23) Another Women's Equality Day will come and go Aug. 26, and still no equality for women is in sight. What have we seen? The regression of our rights. And what actions toward equality of rights for every citizen have been taken to move our state and country toward a more perfect union? At the state level, not a whole heap. In the Minnesota House, early action took place this past session to pass Equal Rights Amendment bills through a host of committees, but an anti-choice majority in that chamber prevented House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, from calling for votes on the House floor. In the Minnesota Senate, far-right conservative white men, clinging to the last throes of a patriarchal structure that has dominated for so long, refused to even meet with activists to entertain the notion of a conversation about the idea of legalizing equality. More forward motion on equal rights is playing out at the federal level. This year the U.S. House passed legislation to remove the arbitrary time limit imposed on the ERA last century; similar action awaits Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, permitting a vote in the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, many state attorneys general, along with over 200 women's rights and justice organizations, top constitutional law experts, 86 major corporations and others are suing to finally publish the now-ratified Equal Rights Amendment. The sticking point remains a memo sent from the Trump administration to the National Archivist preventing said department from doing its ministerial duty to publish the ERA. But hope is on the horizon. The recent Supreme Court Dobbs decision removing not just our reproductive rights but effectively obliterating 14th Amendment rights has awakened a sleeping public. In response, women are registering in record numbers to vote in this election. This bodes well for electing equality this November. What can the average citizen do to advance equality for people with uteruses? Easy: Ask candidates whether they will champion the Equal Rights Amendment if elected. Then hold them accountable. Vote progressive women into office. Then support their efforts to move America toward a more just society. Vote equality. Elect equality. Then maybe, just maybe, come next year's Women's Equality Day we will actually have something to celebrate. Betty Folliard, of Minneapolis, is a former state representative and president emeritus of ERA Minnesota. You probably have gotten wind of our Elect Equality campaign that we are running this election. We have now contacted every legislative candidate in the state, over 500 candidates, with our questionnaire, followed up by many phone calls. When we get positive responses we will be amplifying them on social media. Please add your voice - let the candidates know what you think and want!
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ERAMN is a partner with the ERA Coalition, which was founded in 2014 as a national organization to bring concerted organized action to the effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
Comprising more than 120 partner and supporter organizations across the country, the ERA Coalition provides education on, and advocacy for, Constitutional equality. ERA Coalition Announces First Slate of Federal Candidates with ERA Certification Stamp of Approval. Go to ERA Coalition "Elect Equality" webpage to see if Minnesota federal candidates support the ERA : https://www.eracoalition.org/electequality Go to ERA Coalition "Take Action" webpage to: 1) Contact Senator Chuck Schumer to support the ERA. 2) Recognize the ERA as the 28th Amendment. Here’s a happy ERA progress report:
MOMENTUM! House State Government Finance and Elections
March 3, 2022 - 8:30:00 AM 01:59 - HF726 (Bahner) Gender equality provided under law, and constitutional amendment proposed. 34:14 - HF2026 (Hornstein) ERA; a resolution memorializing Congress to remove the extra-textual time limit for ratification of the amendment by the states. 1:03:21 - HF2847 (Moran) Minnesota Statutes and Rules review required for compliance with Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. 1:19:19 - HF2863 (Dettmer) Big Marine Lake Veterans Campground wastewater system upgrade funding provided, and money appropriated. Runs 1 hour, 28 minutes. Watch the Video - HERE Read the synopsis - HERE Streamed live on January 27, 2022. Press Conference:
Q&A Follows Q & A starts at 19:30 on video. Speier and Maloney Unveil Resolution Recognizing the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment. Resolution - Expressing the sense of the House of Representative that the article of amendment (commonly known as the "Equal Rights Amendment") to the Constitution is valid. [View Resolution] President Biden's Statement on the ERA:
Today, as the House announces a resolution on the Equal Rights Amendment, I once again want to express my support for the ERA loudly and clearly. I have been a strong supporter of the ERA ever since I first ran for the Senate as a 29-year-old. We must recognize the clear will of the American people and definitively enshrine the principle of gender equality in the Constitution. It is long past time that we put all doubt to rest. I am calling on Congress to act immediately to pass a resolution recognizing ratification of the ERA. As the recently published Office of Legal Counsel memorandum makes clear, there is nothing standing in Congress’s way from doing so. No one should be discriminated against based on their sex—and we, as a nation, must stand up for full women’s equality. ### [Link to Statement] Celebrate January 27th as Federal ERA Day
BRIEFING ROOM Statement from President Biden on the Equal Rights Amendment JANUARY 27, 2022 • STATEMENTS AND RELEASES Today, as the House announces a resolution on the Equal Rights Amendment, I once again want to express my support for the ERA loudly and clearly. I have been a strong supporter of the ERA ever since I first ran for the Senate as a 29-year-old. We must recognize the clear will of the American people and definitively enshrine the principle of gender equality in the Constitution. It is long past time that we put all doubt to rest. I am calling on Congress to act immediately to pass a resolution recognizing ratification of the ERA. As the recently published Office of Legal Counsel memorandum makes clear, there is nothing standing in Congress’s way from doing so. No one should be discriminated against based on their sex—and we, as a nation, must stand up for full women’s equality. ----------------------------------------------------- For Immediate Release Contact: Maria McElwain (Blumenthal) 202-224-6452 Rebecca Brown (Klobuchar) 202-224-3244 Lauren Wodarski (Cortez Masto) 202-821-6169 Nelly Decker (Maloney) 202-226-5181 Tracy Manzer (Speier) 202-225-3531 January 26, 2022 BLUMENTHAL, KLOBUCHAR, CORTEZ MASTO, MALONEY, & SPEIER URGE DOJ TO RESCIND FLAWED OPINION THAT SEEKS TO OBSTRUCT RATIFICATION OF EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT The ERA text states that the Amendment takes effect on Thursday, two years after ratification by the constitutionally required 38th state [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and U.S. Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) to withdraw an opinion seeking to stand in the way of the Equal Rights Amendment’s (ERA) recognition as the 28th Amendment. Since its approval by the House of Representatives and the Senate in 1971 and 1972, respectfully, the ERA has reached the constitutionally required threshold of ratification by three-fourths, or 38 states. The ERA text requires the amendment take effect two years after the final state’s ratification; this Thursday marks two years since Virginia became the 38th state to sign on. “It is inexcusable that in the year 2022, women and girls still cannot find a guarantee of equality under the law reflected in their own Constitution,” the lawmakers wrote to Assistant Attorney General Christopher H. Schroeder. “Ratifying the ERA would make protections for women and girls permanent, enshrining in our Constitution the guarantee to equality under law on the basis of sex, once and for all.” The 2020 OLC opinion cited an arbitrary time limit Congress included in the preamble of the ERA resolution—but not in the text of the resolution ratified by the states—to claim that ratifications by the final three states of Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia were moot. The OLC opinion also concluded that the only way for the ERA to be ratified at this point is to reintroduce it and start the entire process from scratch, after decades of effort. Prominent constitutional legal scholars have issued an analysis finding the OLC opinion is legally flawed and must be withdrawn. “Any action to deny the basic recognition of sex equality demands a robust justification on policy and legal grounds. The January 2020 OLC opinion falls far short of this high standard,” the lawmakers wrote. “Article V lays out the amending process. It does not say anything about deadlines. It simply states that an amendment becomes valid when ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.” The lawmakers concluded by calling on the OLC to reverse the opinion and allow for the Archivist to carry out his ministerial duty of recognizing the complete and final adoption of the ERA. “After generations of fighting for the ERA, sex equality deserves a permanent home in the Constitution. A flawed opinion from the OLC must not be allowed to stand in the way of their rights… It is long past time to bring the United States Constitution into the 20th (let alone the 21st) century by expressly recognizing equality on the basis of sex.” The full text of the letter is available here and below. Thank you to Senator Klobuchar for standing up for the ERA.  PRESS ADVISORY For Immediate Release Contact: Suzann Willhite suzann@eramn.org (612) 554-4008 Betty Folliard betty.folliard@gmail.com (612) 868-3511 January 24, 2022 ERAMN Announces #Day1forERA Rally Saint Paul - ERA Minnesota (ERAMN, https://www.eramn.org) is holding a huge rally called #Day1forERA on Monday, January 31, 2022, at 11am in the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda. All are invited. Confirmed speakers thus far are: Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison, Senate Minority Leader Melisa López Franzen, Senators Scott Dibble, Mary Kunesh, Jennifer McEwen, Sandy Pappas, Chuck Wiger, and Representatives Kristin Bahner, Kaohly Vang Her, Frank Hornstein, and Rena Moran. Cosponsors to date include: AAUW - Mpls, Alliance of Medical Graduates, Breaking Free, Education Minnesota, GenderJustice, GenERAtionRatify MN, Island & Discarded Women, Isuroon, League of Women Voters (LWV) - Mpls., LWV-MN, LWV-St. Paul, AFL-CIO MN, MN Move to Amend, MN Now, Minnesota Protests, MN Renewable Now, Mom's Demand Action MN, National Council of Jewish Women -MN, OneMN, RISE - Reviving Sisterhood, Rock What You Got, Save our Sons MN, transforming families, UniteWomen-MN, VH4Change, Women Winning, Women's March MN, This Thursday, January 27, 2022, the 28th Amendment becomes enforceable in the courts for cases based on sex discrimination, having been properly ratified by the 38 states on January 27, 2020 and thereby achieving all constitutional requirements to become the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution. As of that date, the two-year waiting period before final enactment specified in the amendment will have expired. Never in the history of this country has an amendment to The Constitution, having achieved all constitutional requirements set out by Article V (that is, adopted by 2/3 of Congress and ratified by 3/4 states) been stalled by an arbitrary time limit, until women’s rights were on the table. We’re done waiting. ERA Minnesota, along with 86 Business & Corporate Entities, 24 states, over fifty national Coalitions and Advocates for Equality & Women’s Rights, International Organizations, the United Conference of Mayors, a host of top Constitutional Law Professors and many others, is on federal litigation (https://VoteEquality.US/FAQ/Virginia-v-Ferriero) to ensure final enactment of the 28th Amendment. ERAMN's goal is to finally pass the long overdue ERA into our state constitution and enshrine equality for all in the US Constitution. We will showcase 11 ERA bills currently before the Minnesota Legislature and share the new ERA COMPLIANCE BILL being introduced this Session. Last year the US Congress passed a bill to rescind the arbitrary time limit that was imposed on women’s rights. Nationally, advocates’ energies are now aimed at the US Senate. And at the Minnesota Capitol, our goal is to declare this year the year to finally make Equality legal by passing our ERA legislation. We welcome the press to our #Day1forERA Rally. ###  ERA Minnesota is a coalition of advocates and organizations dedicated to ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) into our federal & state constitutions. Founded in 2014. The federal ERA simply 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.”
PRESS ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, August 19, 2021 CONTACT: Betty Folliard, betty.folliard@gmail.com, (612) 868-3511 Heather Allison, heather@eramn.org, (651) 214-1702 ERA Minnesota Sends Delegation to Top National Women’s Rights #Rally4ERA in DC on Women’s Equality Day SAINT PAUL - On Women’s Equality Day, August 26th, ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) will join delegations from across the country for the #Rally4ERA taking place in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., to call with one voice for the Equal Rights Amendment (“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 ERAMN delegation joins top national and state organizations including: ERA Coalition, Feminist Majority, National Congress of Black Women, National Organization of Women (NOW), League of Women Voters, Equal Means Equal, Women’s March, National Women’s Political Caucus, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Leading Women of Tomorrow, Transformative Justice Coalition, Equality, Network, Justice for Migrant Women, Feminist Front, Women’s Media Center, Black Women’s Roundtable, American Humanist Association, Equality NOW, 38 Agree for Georgia, Supermajority, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Justice for Migrant Women, MANA and many others who unite in solidarity behind passage of the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). “On Women’s Inequality Day 2021, we rise up to demand the same rights as a class that men as a class enjoy,” said Heather Allison, President of ERA Minnesota. “Everyone can participate in raising the banner for ERA, either in person in DC, watching #Rally4ERAlivestreamed, or by joining one of the dozens of satellite rallies being held around the country that day. We say all the way with the ERA.” “This #Rally4ERA, on the one day of the year the national press deigns to shed light on the lack of equality on account of sex in the US, is unique because of its singular focus on constitutional equality, a vital necessity to removing barriers that thwart women’s economic security", said Betty Folliard, Founder of ERA Minnesota. “We mean to pass the ERA now, a goal that has taken American women 245 years to achieve." For more information or to join the rally, visit www.eracoalition.org/rally4era. #### ERA Minnesota is a coalition of advocates and organizations dedicated to ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment into our federal & state constitutions, founded in 2014. Silent Sentinels Are Back!
by Betty Folliard One would have thought after the #WomensMarch, #TimesUp, and #MeToo movements, coupled with women’s dominance in the polls last November ushering in new national leadership, that the wind was finally at our backs to certify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But no. Citizens are suffering for the lack of constitutional equality. The emergency nature of gender discrimination demonstrates that it is a front-burner issue, heightening the call for the ERA. Pay inequity leaves women on average earning just 82 cents to a man’s dollar, with far higher inequities for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian women & Women of color; one in 4 women in the U.S. experience severe intimate partner physical violence; one in five women with be raped in her lifetime, while less than 1% of rapes ever lead to felony convictions; 2/3 of tipped workers and 2/3 of minimum wage earners are women; women still get fired for being pregnant; childcare can cost more than college; nearly 2/3 of elderly seniors living in poverty are women; women in our military fight and die for their country yet still don’t have equal rights; and the list goes on greatly exacerbated by Covid: according to the National Women’s Law Center, women in America lost 4.6 million jobs during the pandemic. The ERA, “Equality of rights shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”, will create a more inclusive constitution and provide stronger scrutiny in our court system for cases of gender discrimination: sexual violence, pregnancy discrimination, pay inequity, and the laws that unjustly discriminate against women, men, LGBTQ and non-binary individuals. Last year, 2020, Virginia became the 38th state in the nation to ratify the ERA, thereby clearing all the constitutional hurdles set out in Article V of the Constitution for the ERA to be added as the 28th Amendment. However, just two weeks before Virginia’s ratification, the Trump Administration Department of Justice’s (DOJ) shifted the bar line, issuing a Barr Memo that blocked U.S. Archivist David Ferriero from doing his duty to certify the amendment. That Barr Memo blocking the ERA has yet to be reversed or removed. This puts the onus now on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to rescind it. Attorney General Garland has a pivotal role to play in this long, arduous march to make equal legal in America. He can act to rescind the toxic Barr Memo and allow the ERA to be certified. The U.S. House has passed the bill to remove the time limit. Efforts also focus on the U.S. Senate, where it was given Day 1 status, entitled SJRes.1. Majority of the senators support the ERA; co-sponsors include Democrats, Republicans, and an Independent. But it requires 60 votes for passage. The filibuster, a Jim Crow relic, creates another barrier, amplifying the intersectional relationship between racism and sexism. The ERA is the only amendment passed by 38 states that was written, instigated, and justified by women since women gained the vote, and is the only constitutional amendment that has cleared both hurdles required by Article V of the U.S. Constitution (i.e., having been adopted by 2/3 of Congress and ratified by 3⁄4 states) that has not been added to the constitution simply because of a time limit. Over 104 years ago, Silent Sentinels first came to Washington, D.C., to demand the vote. Now Silent Sentinels are back- to finish the job of achieving equality in America by certifying the ERA. A delegation of ERA Minnesota Silent Sentinels are headed to Washington, D.C., this Monday. We’ll join compatriots around the country to hold daily vigil in front of the DOJ to tell AG Garland to rescind the ERA Barr Memo. Minnesota is among a minority of states that have still not added an ERA to our state constitution. State and federal governments remain dominated by white male leaders, many who are woefully out of step with the majority of Americans on the issue of equality. Silent Sentinels speak volumes: Break down the barriers. Enact the ERA. Betty Folliard is a thought leader, political strategist, a former 3-term legislator, and President Emeritus of ERA Minnesota -a coalition of thousands of activists & organizations dedicated to passing the Equal Rights Amendment into our state & national constitutions. PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, June 14, 2021 CONTACTS: Heather Allison, heather@eramn.org, BettyFolliard, betty.folliard@gmail.com ERA Minnesota Sends Silent Sentinels to Stand Vigil at the DOJ, June 28-30 SAINT PAUL - On June 28-30, 2021, ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) will be sending a delegation of activists to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Equal Means Equal Silent Sentinel Protest Vigil in front of the U.S. Department of Justice. ERAMN delegates will join activists from across the country to elevate the issue that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland has yet to rescind the Trump Administration’s Barr Memo which effectively stopped the U.S. Archivist from doing his ministerial duty to publish the ERA. This action continues the work of the Silent Sentinels who, 100 years ago, fought for the right to vote then pivoted to demand the U.S. finally legalize equality. ERA facts:
For more information, participate in this action or sponsor a sentinel, go to: www.eramn.org or https://equalmeansequal.org/blog/join-us-era-sentinel-outside-doj/ #### ERA Minnesota is a coalition of advocates and organizations dedicated to ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment into our federal & state constitutions, founded in 2014. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 US House Passes HJ Res 17! Washington, D.C.: Today the US House passed a joint resolution to remove the arbitrary and capricious time limit on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with a bipartisan vote of 222-204. "This is a historic moment for our country," said Betty Folliard, President Emeritus of ERA Minnesota. "Today's US House ERA vote signals an inflection point, recognizing that women were intentionally left out of the Constitution from its inception and righting that egregious wrong." "This is one giant step for womankind in our quest to secure the same legal rights as a class as men, as a class, enjoy." said ERA Minnesota President Heather Allison. "The ERA will protect all of us equally under the law against discrimination on the basis of sex. And all means all." Next steps for this resolution is to go to the US Senate for adoption where it has been given a priority number of SJ Res 1. by Betty Folliard
Our national partners ERA Coalition will host a live celebration and watch party for the upcoming House vote, this WEDNESDAY (3/17)! The debate starts at 2:30 PM CT-----Vote at 3:30 PM CT. They'll start the conversation before the floor speeches begin, and then we can watch the floor speeches. Afterwards we’re invited to join in on the celebration, featuring some special guests, coalition members, and elected officials. You can watch the full livestream on ERA Coalition Facebook page. This vote and the watch party is slated to happen on Wednesday, but the time is still in flux with the US House, so keep an eye on www.Facebook.com/ERAcoalition. Dear ERA Coalition Lead Organizations and Advocates,
Welcome to House vote week! I am writing to share some important resources and updates with you as we all prepare for this week’s exciting events. Take Action with our House Vote Share Kit! In advance of the House vote we want to make sure that the members of Congress are hearing from us that we want them to vote for HJ Res 17 when it is on the floor. Please use, and widely share, our share kit with graphics and posts. I’m also including a link to our updated action alert page for you to share with your netowrks. Link to ERA House Vote Share Kit: House Vote Share Kit Link to Updated Action Alert: Take Action Link to watch Rules Committee meeting on HJ Res 17- Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. The Rules Committee will meet to establish the rules for the House vote which will take place on Wednesday. We’ve heard that the ERA will likely be debated late Tuesday afternoon. We will send out a notice when it is about to be brought up. Announcement of Rules Committee meeting: Meeting Announcement for Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | House of Representatives Committee on Rules Watch stream of the Rules Committee meeting here: House of Representatives Committee on Rules | Date/Timing of Vote The House will bring the ERA to the floor for a vote this Wednesday, March 17th. The House is also planning to vote on the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) the same day and we don’t yet have confirmation which bill will hit the floor first. We are told that General Debate on the ERA will begin around 12:00 pm and that a vote is expected to begin around 3:30 pm with final passage around 4:15 pm. Join us for a celebration of the House Vote! The ERA Coalition will be hosting a live Zoom event and invite all our partners to join us. We will be streaming this event on Facebook as well. Feel free to invite your friends to the Facebook event! We be inviting members of Congress, celebrities and advocates from across the country to join us before the House begins it debate and after it finishes during the vote to talk about what this means, where we go next, and celebrate the win together! You can register at the link below: Event info for RSVP (date and time will change). Register in advance for this meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYld-CuqjkuH9Xt9GO7VzOV35_Ml4DSWaL2 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The date and time will change as soon as we have firm confirmation of the start time, but we’ll be in touch with registrants with the new date/time as soon as we have it. Best wishes, Bettina Bettina Hager (she/her) DC Director & Director, Outreach and Advocacy | ERA Coalition/Fund for Women's Equality (FFWE) By Betty Folliard
ERA Members - I have good news and bad news: First the good news: You may have seen info I shared on social media regarding the intention of the US Speaker of the House to bring up HJRes17 - Congresswoman Jackie Speier’s bill to remove the extra-textual time limit on the ERA - next week! The plan is to hear it on Monday 3/15, if nothing else interferes, as that day is RBG’s birthday. And to our advantage, because the US House has a rule that a bill which has had a hearing in committee in a recent previous session does not have to go through that process again and can go directly to the House Floor, we may get a vote on this bill as early as Monday. The result of this action will put additional emphasis on getting POTUS (President of the United States) & the brand new White House Gender Policy Council to act on the ERA. That coupled with Merrick Garland’s nomination moving forward may get positive results out of the DOJ sooner rather than later to reverse the toxic Trump DOJ ‘opinion’ that stopped the Archivist from publishing the ERA. That’s good news all around! One further note: on the litigation the judge who ruled against the AG’s lawsuit left the door open on the ERA for Congressional action. So let’s make sure they get that time limit removed! One thing I know is that activists for the ERA never take No for an answer, but we can redirect our passion to federal action this week. You can use this ERA Coalition form to thank co-sponsors & to encourage those who are not on the bill yet to be co-sponsors of the federal ERA by signing up here: http://www.eracoalition.org/take-action/era-time-limit-removal-bills Now the bad news: I heard the final word from the MN House Judiciary Chair - something she signaled to many this week - that there simply was not room in committee to hear our bills before the first deadline today. This was due to time constraints and the pressure of passing a budget while dealing with the Covid pandemic and all while working under difficulties of for the first time holding Zoom remote committee meetings. Also there were delays in getting our bills out earlier because of internal snafus at the legislature, and late bill introductions due to remote working environments and abnormally slow Revisor’s office bill jacketing. I have heard from several of our MN House bill chief authors expressing their regret and readiness to charge ahead next year. In the MN Senate, there was no chance of action; though Sandy Pappas told me that, in her conversation with Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, he gave a hard no to this year but said “maybe’ next year. That was the most hopeful word we’re hear from him in 5 years. (I can’t tell you the disappointment I feel, but we will prevail.) But there is light at the end of the tunnel on the state ERA front: Judiciary Chair Becker-Finn is a supporter of the ERA and has promised to hear all of our bills next session - still in time for the state ERA to be added to the 2022 General Election ballot. That is good news indeed. AND - In the meantime, for our federal ERA Resolution to Congress push; Rep. Frank Hornstein is circulating a letter today - to garner signatures of as many legislators as he can - to send to Congress this coming Monday (3/15) asking our Congressional delegation to vote yes on HJRes17. He did not just look at what we can’t do, but looked for what we can do, and we applaud his initiative. This past week saw an extraordinary push from ERA activists on the state level and we should be very proud of the work we have done thus far. We lifted the banner of ERA in spite of extraordinary headwinds of a global pandemic. Now let’s see where we can get nationally this next week. Fabulous News! Progress toward equality just got a whole lot closer, with bipartisan co-sponsors having introduced ERA bills as “Day 1 Bills” in both the US House & the US Senate!
What this means is that these bills to remove the extra-textual time limit imposed on the ERA just became priority bills in both houses. We now have a pro-equality President, a pro-equality US House, and a pro-equality US Senate. Equality of rights under the law I have never been closer. Meanwhile, our primary push is to encourage the Biden Administration to pick up the phone and tell the Office of Legal Counsel to remove the previous Trump opinion that blocked the US Archivist from certifying the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And ERA Minnesota is on amicus briefs for two major lawsuits to end the blockade put up by the previous administration. This is a recorded Zoom presentation that Betty Folliard did for the Minneapolis AAUW.
ST PAUL, July 2, 2020 – ERA Minnesota (ERAMN) is proud to join an amicus brief on behalf of a national coalition of over 50 women's rights organizations to impel the US Archivist to certify the now-ratified Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
This amicus brief was filed on behalf of ERA Coalition, a national coalition of 76 member organizations of which ERA Minnesota is a Lead Organization, advocating for state and federal constitutional amendments to guarantee equal rights regardless of sex. The amicus brief was created by a team at Winston & Strawn Law Firm in Chicago spearheaded by Linda Coberly, managing partner at the firm and Chair of ERA Coalition's Legal Task Force. Now that the ERA has satisfied all constitutional requirements to formally ratify it into the US Constitution, this amicus brief argues that the arbitrary, extra-textual 7-year time frame imposed by Congress in 1972 should not prevent adoption as it does not have the power to alter provisions of the Constitution that govern amendments. "Thank you to the Attorneys General of Nevada, Illinois, & Virginia for authoring this litigation to ensure that the ERA is acknowledged as the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution," said Heather Allison, President of ERA Minnesota “The ERA is the most logical step to forming a more perfect union by including all in the founding document of our country.” “This litigation is supported by 23 Attorney’s General, major law firms, 93 major companies & corporations, and vast, diverse women’s rights organizations across the land,” said Betty Folliard, Founder of ERAMN; “and on the 100th Anniversary of women gaining the rights to vote, it’s high time to provide constitutional protections against sex discrimination.” Here is a complete list of participants in this amicus brief:
Press Release from ERA Coalition.
For immediate release - January 15, 2020. Richmond, VA – The ERA Coalition is celebrating an historic victory. The Equal Rights Amendment is about to clear its final Constitutional hurdle as Virginia becomes the 38th state to ratify it, now that both the Senate and the House of Delegates have passed identical bills to be formalized in an upcoming procedural vote. As we mark the 100th anniversary of American women winning the right to vote, we can also celebrate the success of the nearly 100 year-long quest for constitutional equality. The ERA Coalition was formed in 2014 to work for constitutional equality. Our own polling shows that 94% of Americans support the ERA – and an unprecedented 99% of millennials support it. The message is clear: it is time for women to have equal rights in the Constitution. Women will no longer be subjected to second-class citizenship in the United States. Despite this overwhelming support, some still seek to deny women equality. We will work closely with Congress to remove any ambiguity or obstacles that opponents argue remain in the way. The Coalition will also monitor the courts to stay current with any litigation concerning the Equal Rights Amendment. We will also continue to work with the 12 remaining unratified states in an effort to secure ratification of the ERA by all fifty states. It’s an historic day in America. Virginia, with bipartisan support, has now pushed women around the country across the finish line toward equality and freedom from discrimination on account of sex. This has been an incredible team effort beginning with the three women who co-founded the Coalition: co-president Jessica Neuwirth, Coalition Board Chair Maria Vullo, and Treasurer Liz Young. They have worked alongside our CEO and co-President Carol Jenkins and former chair of the ERA Coalition and current chair of our sister organization Fund for Women’s Equality Chair Marcy Syms. Our gratitude goes out to our amazing board, our D.C. Director Bettina Hager, our legal task force, and our lead organizations and supporters. We thank you all. Today is a day to celebrate. ## #ERAMN officers Betty Folliard and Suzann Willhite, will join #VAratifyERA advocates, national affiliates Equal Means Equal & ERA Coalition, and activists from across the country in Richmond, Virginia to help bend the arc of history toward justice and equality in America.
Virginia is the only state in the Confederate South to have voted in a liberal legislature, and now lawsuits are flying into the federal courts on both sides of the argument to determine whether or not to void the artificial deadline that was imposed on the ERA. “The closer we get to achieving justice & equal rights for women, the more the pushback. Now the Trump* Administration’s Department of Justice has weighed in, issuing an opinion that the ERA deadline is passed. That’s their opinion and their opinion is not binding either in Congress or in the courts,” said Ms. Folliard. “We’re going to Virginia to declare otherwise, because you can’t put a time limit on human rights.” “Congress changed the deadline once already and they have the power to do so again,” said Heather Allison, President of ERAMN. “We have legislation to that affect in both houses of Congress, and in the US House a majority of members are co-sponsors of our bill.” This is an historic year, representing the 100th Anniversary of women’s right to vote, and women’s rights activists intend to complete the unfinished business of the Suffragists, to pass the ERA. “The unfinished business is to finally include women in the foundational document of this country – the US Constitution,” said Suzann Willhite, ERAMN Secretary. “Let us in.” *impeached
There being 21 Ayes & 11 No’s, the US House Judiciary Committee just passed #HJRes79- the bill to #DeleteTheDeadline on the #EqualRightsAmendment #ERA!
The US House Committee on the Judiciary met Wednesday, November 13, 2019 to discuss House Judicary Resolution 79: Removing the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) Chairman Nadler's opening statement included: "H.J. Res. 79, introduced by Representative Jackie Speier with 217 co-sponsors, would ensure that the Equal Rights Amendment, or "ERA," can become part of our Constitution if and when a sufficient number of states ratify it. Specifically, this short and straightforward measure provides that notwithstanding the ratification deadline that Congress set for the ERA in 1972, and extended in 1978, the ERA "shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution whenever ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States." [read the whole statement/press release] Thank you, #ChairmanNadler. Video Coverage of the hearing:
Here is the full coverage of the hearing. It should start at the beginning, but if not:
The hearing begins at 50:33 and ends at 2:12:29.
FYI: This resolution would still have to pass through a US Senate committee and then pass through both Chambers, in exactly the same form, and signed by the President (or, re-passed in override of a presidential veto; or, remain unsigned for ten days while Congress is in session) to become a law.
Call Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House) NOW and demand a full House vote on HJRes79! CA tel: (415) 556-4862 DC tel: (202) 225-4965 Virginia voters made it happen! Democrats flipped the house and senate and have control of state government for the first time in a generation. They have elected candidates who can ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
Phase 2 of the fight begins -- all legislators must be contacted and encouraged to vote to ratify the ERA for the good of the country. Virginia will be the 38th state and with that comes RATIFICATION! Read a full article from the Washington Post Week Five Report – Strengthening Momentum for ERA Ratification in Virginia
By Kamala, Natalie & the Equal Means Equal Team Since our Week Two Report on September 26th, EQUAL MEANS EQUAL has been on the ground doing educational outreach in the communities in and around south/central Virginia. The local news caught our visit to Hampton University, a HBCU (Historically Black College or University). [Read More] see the full posting at Equal Means Equal blog Note: If Virginia ratifies the National ERA we will have reached the critical 38 states to have a National Equal Rights Amendment! ACTION STEPS
ERAMN Federal Update by Betty Folliard 9.11.19
PROGRESS REPORT
BIG NEWS!
The US House Judiciary Chair Jerrold Nadler has called the first official hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on the Equal Rights Amendment- HJRes38 (which corresponds to Rena Moran's HF71) to be held on Tuesday, April 30th. This is the 1st time in 36 years that the ERA will be discussed in Congress! And we look forward to the MN House airing of Rena's bill. |
AuthorERA Minnesota (ERAMN) is a coalition of individuals and organizations working to secure an Equal Rights Amendment to the State and Federal Constitutions. Archives
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