Pelosi Remarks at Press Event on Passage of Resolution to Remove the Time Limit for ERA Ratification

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined House Democrats for a press event on House passage of H.J. Res. 17, a Joint Resolution to remove an arbitrary time limit previously set by Congress for the states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you very much, Congresswoman Speier, for your relentless leadership on this important issue to our country, because as you say, when women succeed, America succeeds. So, this is about our entire country. And let me take up where you left off.

The Justice of the Supreme Court, not known to be friendly to some of our issues, but to be clear about the Constitution, it does not forbid discrimination against women. It does not. So, that's why it's an honor to be with Jackie Speier and with Carolyn Maloney, for 25 years has been fighting this fight. Jackie fighting this fight on the removing that time barrier.

Thank you to the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee for being here for VAWA, ERA. It's a good day. You don't have a white suit, but it's okay. You got the gavel. And to be with the Co-Chairs of the Women's Caucus, Lois Frankel, our colleague from – from Michigan, Brenda Lawrence, Veronica Escobar from Texas, and –

Congresswoman Frankel. You said me. You mentioned me.

Speaker Pelosi. There's one more though.

Congresswoman Frankel. Oh, this one right here.

[Laughter]

Speaker Pelosi. No, no – and Lois Frankel from Florida of course and of course Jackie Speier. Now just –

Congresswoman Lawrence. It was Deb Haaland.

Congresswoman Escobar. It was Deb. It was Deb Haaland

Speaker Pelosi. Deb Haaland, I knew there was another.

[Laughter]

Madam Secretary.

So, let me just say this one point. Congresswoman Speier mentioned Don Edwards. Don Edwards was the Floor Leader of the ERA, the Equal Rights Amendment. We take great pride in his leadership in the Bay Area in California, and the person who succeeded him in office is Zoe Lofgren, who has been his assistant for a long time, carrying on that work here. But the way Jackie spelled it out, you had to know that the Chairman of the Committee was the one who was the obstacle at the time, because – not because he was a friend to the amendment, but because he wanted it to be a barrier. And we cannot allow that to stand. So, I'm so glad that you also had bipartisan support with Congressman Reed of New York.

And I'll just say that when it was introduced, 1921, it read, ‘Men and women should have equal rights throughout the United States, and every place subject to its jurisdiction.' Imagine the courage of the people putting that forth. Imagine the courage of the suffragists working to get the right to vote, but also for equality in our country. And that's where – why we wear white today, in their honor. We are standing on their shoulders. And we will continue the fight as others stand on our shoulders, and when they do, they will be doing so with the already passed Equal Rights Amendment to our Constitution.

With that, I'm pleased to yield to the distinguished Chairman of the Committee. He has four bills on the Floor today, so we have to cut him in line here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your extraordinary leadership. Thank you.