Biden Declares ERA As "The Law Of The Land"

President Joe Biden proclaimed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as “the law of the land” on Friday, igniting renewed debate in Congress and the courts over the constitutional ban on gender-based discrimination, Meg Kinnard and Chris Megerian reported for AP.

Originally passed by Congress in 1972, the ERA aimed to ensure equal rights regardless of gender. I Photo: President Joe Biden Facebook

Originally passed by Congress in 1972, the ERA aimed to ensure equal rights regardless of gender. It required ratification by 38 states by 1982, but the deadline was extended and only met in 2020 when Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it.

Efforts to retroactively remove the deadline, including a 2023 congressional vote, have fallen short, leaving the amendment's status unresolved.

Despite legal uncertainties, Biden's announcement bolstered support from advocates like Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who criticized archivist Colleen Shogan for claiming the amendment requires further congressional or judicial approval.

Gillibrand urged Biden to act unilaterally in certifying the ERA.