Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) spoke on the House floor Wednesday in support of a bill to extend the expired deadline for states to ratify the controversial Equal Rights Amendment, claiming during her speech that women are still in “shackles” and that the “Constitution is sexist by its very design.”
“Today I rise to affirm the humanity and the dignity of all women,” Pressley said. “I rise in strong, unapologetic, righteous support of H.J. Res. 79, which will strike the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, an amendment that should already be the law of the land.”
WATCH: Mamdani bashed for going ‘full deranged marxist’ with rip on famous Ronald Reagan line
Breaking: 2 Shooters at California Islamic Center Neutralized – Multiple Causalities Confirmed
Trump Sends First of Its Kind Message to ‘Rededicate 250’ Attendees Who Flooded the National Mall to Recommit America to God
Skid Row election scheme allegedly fueled by pocket-change payoffs busted by Trump DOJ
Report: Chinese propaganda, Singham network, foreign dark money linked to campaigns against data centers
Active shooter reported at San Diego Islamic center as SWAT, emergency crews respond
Apologies and cash headed to alleged ‘weaponization’ victims in billion-dollar Trump settlement
Breaking: Jury Sides Against Musk in OpenAI Lawsuit
Dem who welcomed socialist mayor’s ‘change’ now sounding alarm over billionaire exodus: ‘Gravely concerned’
Video: AOC Wheels Out Political Prop We’ve Never Seen Before – A Bulletproof Barrier, But There’s a Giant Problem
Democrat Max Morley Drops Out of Primary After Admitting to Mail Theft
Trump moves to drop $10 billion IRS lawsuit as DOJ weighs weaponization victims fund
Swing-seat Republican sidelined by ‘serious’ illness misses 88 votes as majority hangs by thread
Jackson protests as Supreme Court uses Louisiana gerrymandering ruling to instruct lower courts
Septic Truck Explodes After Being Struck By Train, Video Shows
The Constitution is sexist by design. The year is 2020 & women in this country STILL aren't considered equal to men in the eyes of the federal gov't.
Tomorrow's vote on HJ Res 79 is a vote to actualize the movements built on the backs of women. It's a vote for equality. #ERANow pic.twitter.com/cVYzw3hiVn
— Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) February 12, 2020
“Women are strong, hard-working, bright, and resilient. We are the backbones of our families, our communities, and our democracy,” Pressley said. “We do not live in checked boxes. We live in an intersectionality of lived experiences and identities.”
“Our issues are everyone’s issues because our destinies are all tied,” Pressley said. “Tomorrow’s vote on H.J. Res. 79 is a vote for the preservation of our collective humanity.”
She went on to say in her remarks that women are paid less than men and that this is especially true for minority women. And that women have historically and still do today face discrimination that supporters say the Equal Rights Amendment would fix.
“In addition to pay discrimination, we face pregnancy discrimination — discrimination in the criminal legal system, sexual and domestic violence, and inadequate healthcare access,” Pressley said.
WATCH: Mamdani bashed for going ‘full deranged marxist’ with rip on famous Ronald Reagan line
Breaking: 2 Shooters at California Islamic Center Neutralized – Multiple Causalities Confirmed
Trump Sends First of Its Kind Message to ‘Rededicate 250’ Attendees Who Flooded the National Mall to Recommit America to God
Skid Row election scheme allegedly fueled by pocket-change payoffs busted by Trump DOJ
Report: Chinese propaganda, Singham network, foreign dark money linked to campaigns against data centers
Active shooter reported at San Diego Islamic center as SWAT, emergency crews respond
Apologies and cash headed to alleged ‘weaponization’ victims in billion-dollar Trump settlement
Breaking: Jury Sides Against Musk in OpenAI Lawsuit
Dem who welcomed socialist mayor’s ‘change’ now sounding alarm over billionaire exodus: ‘Gravely concerned’
Video: AOC Wheels Out Political Prop We’ve Never Seen Before – A Bulletproof Barrier, But There’s a Giant Problem
Democrat Max Morley Drops Out of Primary After Admitting to Mail Theft
Trump moves to drop $10 billion IRS lawsuit as DOJ weighs weaponization victims fund
Swing-seat Republican sidelined by ‘serious’ illness misses 88 votes as majority hangs by thread
Jackson protests as Supreme Court uses Louisiana gerrymandering ruling to instruct lower courts
Septic Truck Explodes After Being Struck By Train, Video Shows
“But this isn’t an accident,” Pressley continued. “The American Constitution is sexist by its very design.”
“This country’s laws have historically treated [women] like second-class citizens, depriving us of the right to vote, enter most jobs, and to own property,” Pressley said. “While some of those injustices may cease to exist, we still face tremendous barriers to our full participation in society.”
“With tomorrow’s vote we have an opportunity to right this country’s wrong,” Pressley said.
Pro-life conservatives, including the late Phyllis Schlafly whose efforts effectively killed the Equal Rights Amendment, oppose it because it is not just about women’s equality but codifying abortion on demand:
National Right to Life is strongly opposed to adding the 1972 ERA language to the U.S. Constitution, because it would provide a powerful legal weapon with which to challenge virtually any limits on abortion, and to require unlimited government funding of abortion.
On Thursday, the House passed the bill Pressley supported on a 232–183 vote.
“We are on the brink of history, and no deadline should stand in the way,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said.
The bill is expected to face challenges both constitutionally and from conservative lawmakers.
Story cited here.
