5 days ago
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If Joe Biden published the ERA, move could trigger a court fight that would cast a shadow over incoming Trump administration
Good morning, US politics blog readers. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have proposed a novel idea for Joe Biden to secure his presidential legacy in his final weeks in office: decide that the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which protects against sex discrimination, has met the standard for ratification, and have the Archivist of the United States publish the amendment into the constitution. The proposal was approved by the US House and Senate in the early 1970s but a conservative backlash prevented it from being ratified by the necessary two-thirds of states by a 1982 deadline congress had set.
In the years since, several states have voted to approve the amendment, and in a letter to Biden sent over the weekend, more than 120 House Democrats argued that the ERA has met the requirements, and should be added to the constitution as the 28th amendment, and the first since 1992. The subtext here is Donald Trump’s impending arrival in the White House, and the likelihood that Biden publishing the ERA would trigger a court fight that casts a shadow over the newly arrived president, particularly since he is viewed as politically vulnerable among women. We’ll tell you more about the ERA push today.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the anti-vaccine activist Trump has named to lead the health and human services department, is heading to Capitol Hill to meet with Republican senators throughout the day.
Biden will at 12.15pm hold an event at the labor department to promote his administration’s efforts to help American workers, then convene a Hanukkah reception at 7.45pm.
Syrian diplomats and community leaders plan to today hoist the flag of “Free Syria” at its Washington DC embassy, which has been closed since 2014.
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