ERA deadline: Freshman Virginia congresswoman to preside at historic vote in House

[RandySF]

Four years ago, Rep. Jennifer Wexton was a state senator frustrated by Republican leaders in Richmond who killed her resolution to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

On Thursday, the Virginia Democrat will preside as speaker pro tempore of the U.S. House of Representatives when lawmakers are expected to pass a resolution aimed at eliminating the deadline for enshrining the long-sought amendment in the U.S. Constitution.

With Democrats newly in the majority in both chambers of the General Assembly, Virginia last month became the 38th state to ratify the amendment, meeting the numerical threshold set when it was first approved by Congress nearly 40 years ago.

Proponents say the amendment, which guarantees legal protections on the basis of sex, can now be enacted. But opponents say that the deadline set by Congress has long passed — and that several states that initially approved the amendment have rescinded their votes in recent years.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/era-deadline-virginia-congresswoman-to-preside-at-historic-vote-in-house/2020/02/12/d0baec0c-4d2e-11ea-b721-9f4cdc90bc1c_story.html

[TwilightZone]

1. RGB said that we probably need to start over.

Apologies if that's noted in the article. It's behind a paywall. I should probably rectify that.

"Three-fourths of the states, or 38 total, are required to amend the Constitution. Last month, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA and one of only three states to do so since 1977 — but there’s a catch. Congress imposed a 1982 deadline on states hoping to ratify the ERA, though there’s doubt about whether this deadline is binding.

Ginsburg’s comments on Monday suggest that she believes this 1982 deadline should be considered binding. “I would like to see a new beginning” for ERA ratification, the justice told McKeown.

“There’s too much controversy about latecomers,” Ginsburg added. “Plus, a number of states have withdrawn their ratification. So if you count a latecomer on the plus side, how can you disregard states that said ‘we’ve changed our minds?’”"

https://www.vox.com/2020/2/11/21133029/ruth-bader-ginsburg-equal-rights-amendment-supreme-court