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Fight for Equal Rights

1. What changed about Virginia's government in last week's elections?

Democrats gained a majority of the House and Senate in the VA government

2. What would the Equal Rights Amendment proposed in 1972 do?

It guarantees equal rights without regard to sex.

3. How many states ratified the amendment when it was originally proposed?  What states have ratified it recently?

22 states ratified it in the first year, with 35 states ratifying it after 5 years. Most recently, Nevada ratified it in 2017, and Illinois did in 2018.

4. According to the constitution, why is it necessary to have a 38th state ratify the amendment?

3/4 of the states must ratify an amendment. 3/4 of 50 is 38.

5. What stipulation for its ratification did Congress add to the proposal in the 1970s?

Congress gave the amendment 7 years to be ratified, and later extended this to 1982.

6. How did the Virginia legislature vote on ratification of the ERA last year? 

The VA legislature was close to ratifying it last year, but it was ultimately rejected. A House committee refused to oversee it, and a Senate panel rejected it, voting 9 to 5. All the "no" votes were cast by men.

7. How can Congress change the ratification deadline from 1982 to now?

They can just vote to change the deadline.

8. How does the 27th Amendment provide an example that this amendment could be ratified now?

The 27th Amendment was first proposed by James Madison and was not ratified until 190 years later. This gives proponents of the ERA hope that the same can happen for their amendment.

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