Virginia Becomes 38th State to
Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment On Jan. 15, the Virginia House and Senate passed
the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) with support
from both Democrats and Republicans. Senator Dick Saslaw,
via ‘The Hill’ However, this historic win
may only be a symbolic one. The ERA was initially passed by Congress in 1972
before being sent to the states for ratification. The amendment fell three states short of
the required 38 when its deadline rolled around in 1982. Now, Congress must decide whether the
late ratification will be recognized, allowing
the ERA to be added to the Constitution. Democrats in Congress are currently
working to remove the deadline. Supporters of the amendment
in Massachusetts also filed a federal lawsuit in an
attempt to clear a legal path for its adoption.