On Jan. 17, 2025, President Joe Biden announced a major opinion that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is ratified, enshrining its protections into the Constitution; some believe this last-minute move could pave the way to bolstering reproductive rights.
It will, however, certainly draw swift legal challenges – and its next steps remain extremely unclear as Biden prepares to leave office.
The amendment, which was passed by Congress in 1972, enshrines equal rights for women. An amendment to the Constitution requires three-quarters of states, or 38, to ratify it. In 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the bill after it sat stagnant for decades. Biden is now issuing his opinion that the amendment is ratified. It would next fall upon the archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, to certify and publish the amendment.
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