Biden claims Equal Rights Amendment is law despite official disagreement

President Joe Biden stated today that he believes the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is now the 28th amendment to the Constitution. This claim contradicts the Justice Department and the national archivist, who maintain that the amendment is not officially ratified. The ERA was passed by Congress in 1972 but failed to meet the ratification deadline in 1982. Although Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it in 2020, the national archivist has refused to certify the amendment, citing legal opinions and court rulings. Biden's announcement comes as Democrats push for recognition of the ERA, arguing the deadline was unconstitutional. However, the Justice Department has consistently upheld that the amendment is not part of the Constitution due to the missed deadline.