Biden declares Equal Rights Amendment as law of the land sparking new debates

President Joe Biden declared the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as “the law of the land,” emphasizing the need for gender equality. The ERA prohibits discrimination based on gender and requires ratification from three-quarters of the states to be added to the Constitution. The ERA was first sent to states for ratification in 1972, with a deadline extended to 1982. Virginia ratified it in 2020, reaching the necessary 38 states, but Congress has not lifted the deadline for certification. Biden's declaration is largely symbolic and does not change the current situation. The National Archives has stated that the ERA cannot be certified without further congressional or judicial action due to the expired deadline.