Transcript of Speaker Pelosi’s Remarks at Press Event to Call for the Certification of the Equal Right Amendment

Contact: Speaker's Press Office,

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Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney and advocates to call for the Equal Rights Amendment to be enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

Speaker Pelosi. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Thank you very much, Carolyn, for your kind words – but more importantly, for your relentless, persistent leadership to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.

I'm honored to be here with you and so many champions on this. Carol Jenkins, Ellie Smeal, Alyssa Milano, Jackie Speier, Bamby Salcedo, Brenda Lawrence, Jennifer – Senator Jennifer McClellan, Lois Frankel, Kim Russel, Christian Nunez and Senator Ben Cardin – on his way – of Maryland. I named those names because this takes – this is a struggle, and it took work. And for a long time, women have been working – not waiting, but working – to get this done. And our allies, as well.

Fifty years ago, fifty years ago, the House passed the Equal Rights Amendment in a vote that was 354 to 24 – 354 to 24 – a strong bipartisan bill, taking us to the cusp of the ratification. Now, we have completed all of the states, putting us on the track to achieve ‘constitutional equality for all,' as this hearing – as these hearings have been aptly called.

Again, we're pleased to be here with this tremendous leadership, working on all of this. And Carolyn Maloney, Jackie Speier, Brenda Lawrence, Lois Frankel, they have been such champions in the Congress on all of this. But I think we would all agree that a day doesn't go by that – an opportunity is never missed for Carolyn Maloney to make this point. Thank you. Thank you, Carolyn.

[Applause]

And so, you know, with all the things we talked about, 100 years and one year after women had, had the right to vote, we still do not have it – the ERA – enshrined in the Constitution. Why not? That's the thing. So, today, again, we take a step toward equality for women, progress for families and a stronger America – because, as we believe, when women succeed, America succeeds.

Thank you.

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