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Today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) led lawmakers in sending a letter to Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox urging for a vote on the Equal Rights Amendment.

The letter commends the Virginia Senate’s approval of the Equal Rights Amendment by a bipartisan vote of 26-14 and calls for a full House of Delegates vote, as it is clear it would pass the Chamber with bipartisan support - putting Virginia on the path to be the 38th state to adopt the Equal Rights Amendment.

“The Equal Rights Amendment is needed to ensure that “Equal Justice Under Law” is a Constitutional right for women, not just an inscription to view on the face of the Supreme Court,” the lawmakers wrote. “The ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia would fulfill nearly 100 years of tireless work to guarantee that women are equal under the U.S. Constitution.”

“I sponsored the Equal Rights Amendment during my time in Richmond, and the General Assembly has a unique opportunity and obligation to take this historic step for our women and girls,” said Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. “Virginia’s history has it’s dark moments, but we can finally be a changemaker by ratifying the ERA and allowing Congress to finish what it started.”

“Next week, I am reintroducing legislation in the House of Representatives to remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Virginia has an opportunity to lead our nation in the fight for women’s equality by becoming the 38th State to ratify the ERA,” said Congresswoman Jackie Speier co-lead U.S. House of Representatives sponsor of the ERA.  “As the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said in 2011, ‘Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn’t.’ I hope that the Assembly will seize this historic moment and do the right thing by the women of Virginia and across America by finally making it clear that women are equal to men under the eyes of the law. The time to act is now!”

“It’s long past time we guarantee women’s equality in the Constitution,” said Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, co-lead U.S. House of Representatives sponsor of the ERA. “Virginia has the opportunity to make history by becoming the 38^th state to ratify this long overdue amendment. Speaker Cox should listen to the people of Virginia and bring this State Senate passed resolution to a vote in the House of Delegates.”In addition to Congresswoman Wexton, the letter was signed by Jackie Speier (D-CA), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Elaine Luria (D-VA), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).

A copy of the letter is here.