Republicans quote Ruth Bader Ginsburg in condemning House vote to revive Equal Rights Amendment

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Republicans pointed to the former Supreme Court Justice and champion for gender equality, Ruth Bader Ginsburg in condemning the House’s Wednesday vote to pass a joint resolution to remove the ratification deadline for the Equal Rights Amendment.

Despite a recent federal court ruling that said the ERA had long since expired, four Republicans joined Democrats in a 222-204 vote to approve a resolution introduced by Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier of California and Republican Rep. Tom Reed of New York.

House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said "it was the lowest and worst vote total the ERA has had in the last 50 years."

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Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the amendment in January 2020 – finally reaching the number of states needed to officially create the 28th Amendment. Republicans argue this happened 40 years too late, as the ratification deadline had already been extended from 1977 to 1982.

Frustrated GOP House members pointed to comments Ginsburg made on reviving the ERA during a February interview last year.

"I would like to see a new beginning," Scalise said in quoting the liberal icon, while on a GOP conference call following the House vote.

During a Georgetown University’s law school event last year, Ginsburg said, "There’s too much controversy about latecomers.

"Plus, a number of states have withdrawn their ratification. So if you count a latecomer on the plus side, how can you disregard states that said, ‘We’ve changed our minds?’" she added.

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Republicans condemned the push by Democrats as an attempt to codify the right to an abortion without any limitations and allow transgender women to dominate in sporting events unchecked.

"We do not need this. As American women, we already have rights," Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., said. Adding that she doesn’t "want the liberal Democrats to use women" to pass their agenda through congress.

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Ginsburg said she supported the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment but felt that if Democrats wanted to prioritize amending the constitution to include the ERA, they needed to create new legislation – something GOP House members said they encourage.

Scalise threw his support behind revising the ERA to include pro-life protections.