RICHMOND, January 30, 2020 – Today, elected officials and advocates from around the Commonwealth voiced their support for Attorney General Herring’s landmark lawsuit to recognize the Equal Rights Amendment as part of the U.S. Constitution. Attorney General Herring announced the lawsuit that he has filed along with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford this morning at a press conference in Washington, DC.
“Women deserve equal rights under the law, period. I’m proud that Virginia was the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and I’m grateful to Attorney General Mark Herring and all who are fighting to ensure true gender equality in the U.S Constitution,” said Governor Ralph Northam.
“After nearly 100 years of working to put equality into the Constitution, the Virginia General Assembly took the historic, final step to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. We are grateful to Attorney General Herring for his commitment to ensuring that this 28th Amendment is enshrined in the Constitution and women take their rightful place in our nation’s founding document,” said Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn
“It is long past due to enshrine the rights of women into the Constitution of the United States. The Virginia Legislature did its part in becoming the 38th state to ratify the ERA, but the fight isn’t over yet. Now it is time to fight the notion that the time for ratification has expired. We stand with and thank Attorney General Mark Herring for his leadership in continuing the fight for equality in the judicial system. Equality does not have an expiration date. We have waited long enough and the time is NOW!” said Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke (D-Hampton), Senate President Pro Tempore Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), and Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond)
“The people of Virginia spoke last November, voting a record number of women into the House of Delegates and asking us to ratify the ERA. We are proud to make Virginia the final state to complete the ratification process,” said House Majority Leader Charniele Herring. “Now that we have done our part, we put our support in the Attorney General’s office in fighting this last battle for Constitutional equality.”
“Virginia has said unequivocally that women’s equality is not negotiable and it must be enshrined in our Constitution. I was honored to sponsor and secure passage of Virginia’s ratifying resolution, and I truly appreciate Attorney General Herring taking a courageous step to ensure that the will of Virginians is carried out and the Equal Rights Amendment is recognized as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” said Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy
“This country is ready for Constitutional equality for women,” said Carol Jenkins, Co-President and CEO, ERA Coalition/Fund for Women’s Equality. “Our research shows that 94% of all Americans believe in it. We have worked tirelessly for nearly 100 years. This movement cannot be stopped. We need the equal rights amendment in the Constitution.” “Having a strong equality supporter like Mark Herring as our Attorney General has always given us confidence that this issue will come to its obvious and just conclusion: gender equality forever enshrined in our Constitution. We are grateful to the Attorney General and everyone in his office for their support,” said Kati Hornung, VARatifyERA