U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), lead sponsor of S.J. Res. 1, which would remove the arbitrary deadline imposed on ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, “On this Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate the anniversary of U.S. women’s suffrage and recognize the sustained efforts of all those who continue to advocate for gender and sex equality. Voting is a fundamental right of American citizenship. Even before the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, activists like Ida B. Wells, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and Sojourner Truth made great strides to champion women’s liberation. These women represent the very best of our nation’s history in achieving equality and the ideals and issues they fought for remain relevant in the present day.

“One of the biggest hurdles to institutionalizing women’s equality nationwide is the failure to certify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) despite ratification by the required 38 states. This landmark amendment would provide an explicit constitutional guarantee of equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. The House of Representatives has twice passed a resolution to remove the arbitrary deadline for ratification of the ERA. I have been proud to lead the fight in the Senate with Senator Lisa Murkowski, through S.J.Res. 1, to remove the deadline. There remain partisan obstacles to Senate passage, but we know that the struggle for equality for more than half the American public will not end until every person in this country is equal under our Constitution.

“On this 102nd year of women’s suffrage in the United States of America, we rededicate ourselves to full equality for all regardless of sex. As Maya Angelou said, ‘Equal rights, fair play and justice are all like the air; we all have it or none of us has it.’”