Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic measure to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, dealing yet another blow to supporters who have pushed for more than five decades to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex.
Democrats failed to win the necessary 60 votes to move forward with the resolution, which would have removed a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopened the process to amend the Constitution.
The 51-47 vote included support from two Republicans, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — well short of the 10 GOP votes needed.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., put the resolution up for a vote this week, even as it was unlikely to pass. He said it was especially timely in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to an abortion.
“Women in America have far fewer rights today than they did even a year ago,” Schumer said.
After the vote, Schumer said the Senate is “not giving up,” and would keep trying to pass the measure.
Congress sent the amendment, which guarantees men and women equal rights under the law, to the states in 1972. It gave states seven years to ratify it, later extending the deadline to 1982. But the amendment wasn’t ratified by the required three-quarters of states before the deadline.
At the same time, several states — including Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky and South Dakota — have attempted to remove their prior approval.
States can support the federal version individually, though it is not ratified into the U.S. Constitution, so those ratifications remain mostly symbolic.
In a statement of policy, the White House said that President Joe Biden “strongly supports” extending the deadline and that it is long past time.
“Gender equality is not only a moral issue – the full participation of women and girls across all aspects of our society is essential to our economic prosperity, our security, and the health of our democracy,” the White House said.
Republicans have argued that Democrats are trying to rewrite history.
“The Democrats’ novel unconstitutional approach bypasses states’ rights and circumvents the process our founders put in place,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., after the vote. “This is simply another liberal wish list item meant to drive a political wedge.”
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a long-awaited executive order on cryptocurrencies, striking a careful balance between highlighting the risks of digital assets and touting their potential benefits.
McDonald’s said Tuesday it is temporarily closing all of its 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine. The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia.
The price of nickel, one of the key minerals needed to produce stainless steel and lithium-ion batteries, saw an unprecedented surge Tuesday amid fears that Western sanctions could cut off Russian supplies of the crucial commodity.
As Western companies cut ties with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, there's a possibility their Chinese rivals could move in and fill the void. Major corporations such as Apple, Samsung, Dell, and more have halted sales in Russia in hopes of encouraging Putin to back down, but now it seems those sanctions could be presenting a unique opportunity for China. Michael Friedson, Co-founder and Executive Editor of The Media Line News Agency, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss how these Western boycotts are reshaping geopolitical alignments, the global economy, and international trade.
Gas prices have reached their highest level since 2008, topping an average of $4 across the country. The surge comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggers supply concerns in what was already an extremely tight oil market. Jay Hatfield, Chief Investment Officer at ICAP, breaks down why costs at the pump are so high right now, and just how high they could go.
President Joe Biden has announced that the U.S. will ban all Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
If confirmed, judge Ketanji Brown Jackson could become the first black woman on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court. Cheddar News speaks with Katie Barlow, Chief Legal Correspondent at Fox 5 to discuss the significance of the nomination.
The European Union is historically divided and slow when it comes to decision-making, but in the recent weeks, the 27 members have agreed upon several sanctions and decisions regarding foreign policy and defense. The EU has cut off Russian banks from the swift payment system, blocked Russian propaganda channels, and closed European skies for air travel to and from Russia. Germany, for example, who has refused to send any deadly weapons to conflict zones, has now agreed to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. Rupert Steiner, London Bureau Chief at Barron's, joins cheddar news to discuss.
Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist at CFRA Research, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where he dives into the factors contributing to Monday's market plunge and what could be in store when February's CPI data comes out on Tuesday.
Derek Shearer, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and contributing writer for Washington Monthly, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
