March 22, 1972- Congress Passes Equal Rights amendment
On this day is 1972, Congress sent the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the Constitution to the states for ratification. It failed, falling short of the three-fourths (38 states) approval needed. The ERA would have given all Americans equal standing, regardless of gender.
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to equal rights for men and women.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:
Article--
Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
Section 3. This article shall take effect 2 years after the date of ratification.
The ERA is not dead. It has been introduced in both chambers of Congress. For more information, go to:
http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/