Biden declares Equal Rights Amendment should be seen as ratified

President Joe Biden stated that the Equal Rights Amendment should be viewed as ratified, asserting it guarantees equal rights regardless of sex. This announcement comes just days before he is succeeded by Republican Donald Trump. Biden's statement is largely symbolic, as presidents do not influence the amendment process. The National Archives maintains that the amendment cannot be certified due to a missed ratification deadline. The Equal Rights Amendment was proposed in 1972 and required ratification by three-fourths of the states. Virginia became the 38th state to ratify it in 2020, but the archivist insists that Congress or the courts must address the deadline issue for certification.