Rep. Chris Smith If the Equal Rights Amendment were to become part of the US Constitution, its opponents say, it will actually harm women’s interests and invalidate pro-life policies, such as the federal Hyde Amendment and all state restrictions on tax-funded abortions.
Its supporters say it will protect women from discrimination in the workplace, domestic violence and sexual harassment.
The amendment states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”
On March 17, the US House voted 222-204 to remove an expired deadline for ratification of the ERA. Now the Senate has to take up the measure; it will need 60 votes to pass.
“Pro-abortion leaders have largely ignored, trivialised or denied the fact that activists plan to aggressively use the federal ERA as currently written in a litigation strategy to overturn all pro-life laws,” said Rep. Chris Smith, who is co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus.