Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We can never have an equal and just society until women's rights are upheld and taken seriously. From the fight for civil rights to groundbreaking inventions, women make innumerable contributions to every sector of our society. We stand on the shoulders of the women who marched before us and blazed a trail toward equality.
That's why today, I joined my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in voting yes on two major pieces of legislation that will help strengthen women's rights.
My first vote was on the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA simply states: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." When Congress passed the ERA in 1972, Members attached an arbitrary time limit for ratification. Today, the House voted to remove that time limit on ratification, sending the measure to the Senate and clearing the way for the ERA to be added to the Constitution.
The second vote was to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. In 1994, I was a cosponsor of the original Violence Against Women Act. This lifesaving legislation makes vital improvements to address gaps in our current laws. The legislation includes measures that, among other things, will improve services for victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and close loopholes that allow adjudicated dating abusers to possess firearms.
In passing this legislation, the House reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the dignity and respect of women. Tomorrow, and every day going forward, we must continue this fight to ensure our mothers, sisters, daughters, and others experience nothing less than full rights and equal protection under the law.
Sincerely,
Kweisi Mfume