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.”
Trump says US, Israel shattered Iranian military capabilities, presses leaders to surrender: ‘Cry uncle’
Armed Officers Rushed Onboard Flight Forced to Land with Guns Drawn After ‘Security Scare’
Flashback: 11 Years Ago Marco Rubio Correctly Predicted How Obama’s Iran Move Would Backfire
Iran still striking Gulf States despite president’s promise not to: Report
Trump tells Starmer aircraft carriers no longer needed in Mideast, accuses him of joining war US ‘already won’
Arizona governor vetoes Charlie Kirk memorial license plate sparking GOP outrage: ‘This bill falls short’
NYC Mayor Mamdani’s wife liked social media post calling Oct 7 sexual violence investigation a ‘hoax’: report
Noem thanks Trump for new Shield of the Americas special envoy role after DHS ouster
Trump and first lady attend dignified transfer for 6 US troops killed in Kuwait
Supreme Court Will Hear Lawsuit Over Blaming Oil Companies for Climate Change
White House’s bombastic Iran war media blitz breaks from precedent, shocking critics
Farage slams British prime minister for ‘extraordinary’ lack of support for Trump’s Iran strikes
‘Smarter Than Most of You!’: Biden Launches Bizarre Defense of His Stuttering at Jesse Jackson Memorial Service
Brutal Numbers: Schools Spent $30 Billion on Laptops… and They Seem to Have Made Kids Dumber
Trump Warns ‘Loser of the Middle East’ Iran That ‘Complete Destruction and Certain Death’ Is Imminent
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.
Trump says US, Israel shattered Iranian military capabilities, presses leaders to surrender: ‘Cry uncle’
Armed Officers Rushed Onboard Flight Forced to Land with Guns Drawn After ‘Security Scare’
Flashback: 11 Years Ago Marco Rubio Correctly Predicted How Obama’s Iran Move Would Backfire
Iran still striking Gulf States despite president’s promise not to: Report
Trump tells Starmer aircraft carriers no longer needed in Mideast, accuses him of joining war US ‘already won’
Arizona governor vetoes Charlie Kirk memorial license plate sparking GOP outrage: ‘This bill falls short’
NYC Mayor Mamdani’s wife liked social media post calling Oct 7 sexual violence investigation a ‘hoax’: report
Noem thanks Trump for new Shield of the Americas special envoy role after DHS ouster
Trump and first lady attend dignified transfer for 6 US troops killed in Kuwait
Supreme Court Will Hear Lawsuit Over Blaming Oil Companies for Climate Change
White House’s bombastic Iran war media blitz breaks from precedent, shocking critics
Farage slams British prime minister for ‘extraordinary’ lack of support for Trump’s Iran strikes
‘Smarter Than Most of You!’: Biden Launches Bizarre Defense of His Stuttering at Jesse Jackson Memorial Service
Brutal Numbers: Schools Spent $30 Billion on Laptops… and They Seem to Have Made Kids Dumber
Trump Warns ‘Loser of the Middle East’ Iran That ‘Complete Destruction and Certain Death’ Is Imminent
“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.
