Women’s rights advocates criticized President Joe Biden’s statement affirming his belief that the ERA should be the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution but called out his inaction in ensuring its formal recognition.
Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan and her deputy, William J. Bosanko, today said their office, “cannot legally publish the Equal Rights Amendment.”
Former New Jersey Senate candidate Lisa McCormick issued a scathing rebuke of Biden’s failure to take meaningful action on the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).
“President Biden’s words are hollow without action,” McCormick said in response to Biden’s statement that the ERA has cleared all necessary hurdles to become the 28th Amendment. “It is entirely unforgivable that he has done nothing to order the incorporation of the ERA into the United States Constitution. The Equal Rights Amendment has been ratified by 38 states. It’s time for President Biden to act on his words and make the ERA part of the Constitution.”
McCormick pointed to Biden’s repeated failures to advance key policies, including the ERA, and stressed that time is running out.
“President Biden has two days left to publish the ERA and protect our freedoms. Talk is cheap, and while some voices are thanking the do-nothing Democrat, his tenure in the White House is one of many missed opportunities,” said McCormick, leader of Democrats for Change (DemocratsFor.US), which joined 143 organizations, led by Shattering Glass and the League of Women Voters, on December 16 in called on President to instruct the US Archivist to publish the Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment to our Constitution.
The ERA was ratified by the necessary 38 states in 2020, but its final step—publication in the Constitution—has been blocked by political obstruction. The American Bar Association has recognized that the ERA has cleared all legal requirements and should be added to the Constitution, but President Biden has not taken the necessary steps to ensure its incorporation.
“We must act now to affirm gender equality as a fundamental right in our US Constitution,” said Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. “The equity clock for action is ticking — the Equal Rights Amendment is not just a symbolic measure — it’s a necessary safeguard to ensure equal treatment and opportunities for all Americans.”
Susan Thompson Hingle, president of the American Medical Women’s Association, added “The American Medical Women’s Association supports the publication of the Equal Rights Amendment. Since 1915, AMWA has been a staunch advocate for equity for women and the ERA is an important, effective, tool necessary to enshrine equal protection for all.”
“The incredible number and diversity of organizations uniting to urge President Biden to publish the ERA is a blaring siren calling out the ERA is desperately needed to meet the moment,” said Nicole Vorrasi Bates, executive director of Shattering Glass. “This is a five-alarm fire. We simply cannot wait any longer. It is time for immediate action, and we are counting on President Biden to get it done.”
McCormick, who ran for U.S. Senate in 2018, has been a long-time advocate for the ERA. In a statement from April 2024, she called on President Biden to take immediate action, stating, “The ERA is the 28th Amendment, and it’s time to finalize its place in the Constitution. The American people, 38 states, and the American Bar Association all agree. The only missing piece is President Biden’s executive action to instruct the National Archivist to publish the ERA.”
McCormick’s remarks are part of a broader grassroots movement calling on Biden to use his executive authority to publish the ERA before leaving office. A coalition of over 143 organizations, led by groups such as Shattering Glass and the League of Women Voters, has joined McCormick in urging President Biden to act.
“This is not just a symbolic gesture,” McCormick continued. “The ERA is a necessary safeguard to ensure gender equality and protect the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ Americans. With Donald Trump’s re-election, it is more important than ever that the ERA is added to the Constitution. If Biden does not act now, we risk losing critical protections for generations to come.”
McCormick emphasized that Biden’s inaction reflects a broader trend of missed opportunities. “President Biden has failed to act on critical issues like immigration, student debt, and gun violence, and now, he is failing to act on the ERA. This is a legacy of inaction that will define his presidency.”
McCormick’s campaign, the “Biden Publish the ERA Alliance,” is working to build a groundswell of support and press the Biden administration to take immediate action.
“We have a narrow window of time left, and the clock is ticking. The ERA must be published now before it’s too late. President Biden has the power to act, and it’s time for him to use it,” McCormick concluded.
“The American people rejected democracy because they are frustrated by Joe Biden’s do-nothing Democrats,” said McCormick. “The consequences of that failure are likely to be immense, but there’s no point in sugar coating the situation because words instead of deeds are the entirety of it. Too little, too late, was the biggest contributor to the end of America, and his inaction on the ERA is symbolic of the many disasters brought on by the Biden administration.”