Montgomery, AL – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has released a statement condemning the Biden Administration’s attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a measure whose ratification deadline expired more than 40 years ago. The administration’s move came during its final hours in office, sparking criticism from opponents who view the effort as unconstitutional.
Marshall accused the administration of undermining the U.S. Constitution by attempting to revive the ERA. “No serious person believes the sham that a proposed amendment to the Constitution, which expired in the 1970s after being rejected by the American people, has somehow sneaked into our Constitution,” Marshall said in his statement.
The Attorney General referenced past remarks from late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who acknowledged the expiration of the ERA ratification deadline. Marshall also noted that judicial rulings on the matter, including those by judges appointed by Presidents Obama and Biden, have rejected efforts to recognize the amendment as valid.
“This is a fitting close to [Biden’s] disastrous four years in office,” Marshall stated, expressing hope for what he called a return to “fighting for American greatness.”
The Equal Rights Amendment, first proposed in 1923, sought to ensure legal equality of the sexes under the Constitution. It was passed by Congress in 1972 and sent to the states for ratification, with a deadline set for 1979, later extended to 1982. However, the amendment fell short of the required 38 state ratifications.
Proponents of the ERA argue that it remains relevant and necessary for advancing gender equality, while opponents contend that the amendment is no longer viable due to the expired deadline. The legal and constitutional debates surrounding the ERA have persisted, with courts consistently ruling against attempts to revive it.
This latest controversy underscores the enduring divisions over the amendment and the broader constitutional questions it raises.