WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) released the following statement on the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA):

“One hundred years ago, Congress first introduced the Equal Rights Amendment — a history-defying call to finally recognize all Americans, regardless of sex, as equal in our nation’s founding document. Yet, today, the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ Americans still lack explicit protections in the Constitution.    

“In the 117th Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi — the first female Speaker of the House — we passed legislation to take one step closer to enshrining the ERA into law. MAGA Republicans, however, have launched a campaign against equality for all — assaulting our rights, eliminating freedoms, and turning back the clock on ten decades of progress. 

“Our nation’s promise of equality is incomplete without the enactment of the ERA. As we mark today's milestone, we remain steadfast in the fight for justice and unshaken in the face of Republican regression.”