of them. as far as them being a help for me, when you get them you are so far behind in finance is the only thing you can do is not the top of whatever that is off because you're never going to balance out because the debt will be too far in for you to balance out. host: franklin in ohio, our last caller. we will be back here tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern time, 4:00 a.m. pacific. have a great st. patrick's day. we take you live to the house floor [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

[captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc., in cooperation with the united states house of representatives. any use of the closed-captioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u.s. house of representatives.] the speaker: the house will be in order. the prayer will be offered by our chaplain, chaplain criben. chaplain kibben -- chaplain kibben. chaplain kibben: would you pray with me. eternal and loving god, we pray your blessing on us today. inure duties give us to press on with hearts open to emulating the forbearance and sacrifice you have demonstrated in your steadfast love for us and for this world.

as brothers and sisters of your creation, we pray the safe to leave behind all that has kept us from living into this your gracious plan. and as we strain toward what is ahead, toward the goal of a higher calling, we pray your favor. may all who trust in you receive this your benediction on today's journey. may the raindrops fall lightly on your brow. may the soft winds freshen your spirit. may the sunshine brighten your heart. may the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you. and may god enfold you in the mantel of his love. we offer ourselves to you playing in the strength of your name, amen. the speaker: pursuant to section 11-a of house resolution 188, the journal of the last day's proceedings is approved. the pledge of allegiance will

be led by the gentleman from indiana, mr. mervin. -- marvin. mr. mrvan: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker: the chair will entertain up to 15 requests for one-minute speeches on each side of the aisle. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house. the speaker: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. frankel: thank you, madam speaker. i stand in favor of removing the dead line for the ratification of the equal rights amendment. and i ask the following question. what do the following women have in common? a woman who saved 19 children during the massacre of marjory stoneman douglas high school.

senator tammy duckworth who lost both her legs in a combat mission in iraq. a chemist who revolutionized the treatment for leprosy. joan hoyer, the first native american poet laureate. dough lors, civil rights activist. and nearly nine out of 10 nurses, 2/3 of the workers at grocery store check outs and fast food counters all women. what do they have in common? no matter the sacrifice or contribution to society, if you are a woman or a girl in the united states of america, you are not guaranteed equality under the law. and after 245 years since the birth of our nation, it's time to pass the equal rights amendment. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: madam speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the

gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized. mr. thompson: thank you, madam speaker. madam speaker, i'm pleased to join my colleague, mr. mack cartwright, as a co-sponsor on the reclaim act. this bipartisan legislation focuses on re-authorizing the abandon mine land funds, a.m.l. funds. my district, pennsylvania 15, as the most abandoned coal mines in the country. re-authorizing the a.m.l. fund will provide opportunities to -- and funding to clean up the abandoned mine land not just in my district but across the nation. coal mining built america. the powered us on to the world stage. helped us win two world wars. and brought our nation into the modern era. the a.m.l. is set to expire this year. while we continue to make progress on environmental restoration, re-authorizing the fund is crucial to support cleanup efforts and spur economic development. madam speaker, congress has a great opportunity to do right by pennsylvania and other great coal mining states by

re-authorizing the abandoned mine land fund, which is not funded by tax dollars but by a fee that has been placed on every ton of coal mined since 1977. those moneys are sitting there in the federal treasury. we need to re-authorize that abandon mine land trust fund to further the redevelopment of the scars of the water and land in those abandoned lands. thank you, madam speaker. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from illinois seek recognition? ms. schakowsky: ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. schakowsky: every single constitution in the world drafted since 1950 has the equivalent of the equal rights amendment. except the united states of america. though some might say otherwise, it is clear that

women need the equal rights amendments, and we need it now. we need the e.r.a. to strengthen the movement women have been building to achieve paycheck fairness, paid family leave, to prevent discrimination against women who are pregnant in the workplace. and fight for comprehensive reproductive health for all women. and girls. today i will vote for the equal rights amendment to assure that my granddaughters that women and girls throughout the world, throughout the country, for sure, are not only strong and powerful and resilient, but also equal here in the united states under the constitution. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for

what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? -- indiana, sorry. >> indiana would be ok with me. thank you. madam speaker, i seek unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from indiana is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, today i rise at that honor indiana's secretary of state connie lawson. since 2012 connie has overseason indiana's elections and modernized how hoosiers and businesses interact with the state. she championed comprehensive election reforms that included election security and expanded our voting access for hoosiers. she's a fierce advocate for hoosiers to be financially literate and has advocated high schools offer a free financial class to all students. she modernized state government departments by implementing a one stop mortal for businesses

to register, file, report, and make payments to state agencies. mr. baird: prior to being secretary of state, connie served 16 years in the indiana state senate and before that was clerk of the hendricks county circuit court. i want to congratulate connie on her retirement and on behalf of all hoosiers, we will miss every 33 years of dedicated public service. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i rise today on behalf of our nation's immigrants, the farm workers who toil in our fields, to feed us, and our dreamers, the exceptional young people who are the promise and future of america. ms. brownley: or immigration laws should reflect our shared values as a nation. especially the importance of keeping families and

communities together. in my district in ventura county in california, agriculture is a corner -- cornerstone of our regional economy. immigrants farm worningse are essential to putting food on america's table. because of the essential role farm workers play in our economy and communities, i support the creation of an earned pathway to citizenship. i also stand with our dreamers, many of whom have known no other home than the united states. dreamers are the embodiment of the american dream. they represent the very best of our country, and they are realizing their fullest potential. their success is america's success. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the farm work force modernization act and the american dream and promise act. i yield back, madam speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i request unanimous consent to address

the house for one minute. revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from north carolina is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, today i rise to honor and august leader within my hometown community in western north carolina. a proven entrepreneur and a great business leader who is about to open a second quick service restaurant in my district, which will employ over 100 people. not only will this employ 100 people, this will also feed 100 families. this will help house 100 families. and not only will these employees get to have the honor of being able to earn a living, to provide for their families, but also they'll be under the careful tutelage of their new employer, joel benson, who everyone in my community will recognize is one of the most influential people in my district. someone who is excellent at maximizing the potential in everyone in his care and sphere of influence. today i rise to honor a great

mentor of mine and great business leader who is providing jobs in a strong economy to western north carolina nfpblgt mr. cawthorn: joel benson, thank you for your service to our community. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to speak out of order for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one -- the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> i rise today in observance of women's history month to honor women of steal. an advocacy arm of united steel workers. they have played an instrumental role for paving the women in the steel industry. among these remarkable leaders was ola kennedy, a rest department of gary, indiana, who worked for 28 years at hammond valve. she was involved in many union and civic o.s as one of the founding members of the

coalition of black trade unionists. i want to celebrate roberta who along with ola, co-founded the steel workers women's caucus in the chicago gary district steel workers unedown. mr. mrvan: she was elect the the first female of local 65 executive order and currently a member of the steel workers organization of active retirees. madam speaker, i am honored to celebrate women's history month and recognize the role women of steel have played to organize, unionize, rally, and inspire workers to fight for justice. these extraordinary women continue to be fearless, strong, and vocal advocates for more people in leadership and carry on the march to fight for full gender equality in the workplace. i commend these women -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. mrvan: i yield back my time. thank you.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the the gentlewoman from north carolina seek recognition? >> i request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the the gentlewoman from north carolina is recognized for one min. ms. ross: thank you very much, madam speaker. i rise today to say how honored i am to be able to file two amendments to the critical re-authorization of the violence against women act. the first amendment aims to protect the safety and privacy of survivors by creating a statutory mandate that a victim's safety should be central to housing decisions made by covered housing providers. this amendment will ensure that housing providers do not evict

survivors, keep their information confidential, and prioritize their safety when considering admissions, assistance, transfers, and more. my second amendment is a direct response to an issue in my home state of north carolina. . sexual assault nurse examiners provide critical care to sexual assault survivors and collect evidence for criminal prosecution. unfortunately, in north carolina, sane nurses can be difficult to locate and some survivors travel to multiple hospitals and have to wait hours to see a sane nurse. my amendment allows certain things in the bill -- e speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. ms. ross: thank you, madam chair, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman

from georgia seek recognition? mr. carter: ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from georgia is recognized for one minute. mr. carter: madam speaker, i rise today to recognize st. patrick's day in savannah, georgia. the first st. patrick's day parade in savannah started in 1924 and it gathers hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. the second largest st. patrick's day in the united states is important for everyone in savannah but especially important for the savannah irish community. savannah has a historically large irish community that is integral in the fabric of the city and the st. patrick's day parade is the direct result of this impact. the election of the grand marshal this this year was can deld -- marshal this year was canceled due to the pandemic. i look forward to celebrating

st. patrick's day in savannah with everyone once the pandemic ends. thank you, madam speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from new york seek recognition? mrs. maloney: to ask unanimous consent to be recognized for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from new york is recognized for one minute. mrs. maloney: madam speaker, today, we will vote to re-authorize the violence against women act, one of the most important bills in history to protect women and girls. this photograph is of a then-senator joe biden, myself, and other women leaders when we introduced this important bill in 1994. it's still important. we need to re-authorize it. there's no doubt he will sign it into law. we live in a world where one in four women have experienced sexual violence. re-authorizing vawa is about

creating a future for those that survivors are given the tools they need to heal. it's about ensuring a better, safer future for the next generation. i urge a yes vote by all of my colleagues. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from california seek recognition? >> madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman from california is recognized for one minute. >> madam speaker, i rise today in support of the equal rights amendment. from the beginning, gender equality was left out of the constitution. generations of women and lgbtq+ americans lived and died without

having equal rights and dignity under the law. we know that e.r.a. is necessary by the words of its opponents, including the late supreme court justice antonin scalia who argued that the constitution does not prohibit discrimination based on sex. we can change that. 38 states have ratified the e.r.a. the only hurdle that remains is the arbitrary deadline set by congress, a deadline that passed before i was born but a deadline that never stopped the pursuit of justice. ms. jacobs: with every vote we take in this chamber, we have a chance to correct past mistakes and repeal past wrongs. that's what we will do again today. our march for equal rights is not done. it will not stop, and it does not expire. i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york seek recognition? mr. nadler: madam speaker, pursuant to house resolution 233, i call up h.j.res. 17, removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment and ask for its immediate consideration. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the joint resolution. the clerk: joint resolution removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 233, the joint resolution is considered as read. the joint resolution shall be debatable for one hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the committee on the

judiciary or their respective designee. the gentleman from new york, mr. nadler, and the gentlewoman from minnesota, mrs. fischbach, will each control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on h.j.res. 117 -- 17. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. nadler: thank you. madam speaker, i yield myself three minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. nadler: madam speaker, h.j.res. 17 is long overdue legislation to ensure that the equal rights amendment can finally become the 28th amendment to the united states constitution. the house passed identical legislation lasts congress on a bipartisan basis and i hope it will do so again today. in 1923 alice paul first introduced an amendment to the constitution to guarantee full equal protection for women.

the text of the amendment is simple and clear. equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the united states or by any state on account of sex. that amendment passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the house and senate in 1972. unfortunately, it fell just short of being ratified by the requisite number of states before the arbitrary deadline imposed by congress ran out in 1982. in the 40 years since we have made great strides in this country to ensure equality, women have secured the right to vote, protection against workplace discrimination and through case law decided under the 14th amendment, many other critical protections denied them for too long on the basis of sex. but without the e.r.a., millions of women had still had to march in support of their rights, their health care, their reproductive freedom and abortion access and their dignity as equal citizens. through the me too movement we had long overdue and sometimes painful conversations about the

violence and harassment that women and others experience whether in the workplace, at home or in schools and universities. but still to this day the constitution does not explicitly recognize that no one can be denied equal protection on the basis of sex. this bill would ensure laws disadvantaging women and gender minorities are subject to the most rigor scrutiny. virginia was the last one to ratify the e.r.a. and today passing h.j.res. 17, we will be one step closing to enshrining it into law. this removes the previous deadline congress set in the amendments for ratifying the e.r.a. and will therefore ensure that recent ratifications by nevada, illinois, and virginia are given full effect. we are on the brink of making history, and no deadline should stand in the way. the constitution self-places no

deadlines on the process to ratifying amendment. congress has the authority to extend or remove any deadline that it previously set in the first place. the ruling in the district of columbia refusing to recognize the recent state ratifications makes it even more imperative that congress act now in removing this deadline. we must make it absolutely clear that congress does not want language put in the proposed clause 40 years ago to stand in the way of full equality now. i want to thank representative speier for introducing this resolution, which takes that important step. this resolution will ensure at long last that the equal rights amendment can take its rightful place as part of our nation's constitution. i urge all members to support it and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: thank you, madam speaker.

and thank you -- thank you to the representative from new york. i yield myself such time as i may consume. madam speaker, h.j.res. 17 is not a resolution to revive the equal rights amendment. this is a messaging vehicle. that's why democrats bypassed the judiciary committee and brought this resolution directly to the floor. a common theme for this majority. there was no process for this resolution. a resolution that democrats claim is a priority. we are here today for a headline so that democrats can say they supported the e.r.a. when it was in the house. but the fact is, madam speaker, that men and women in the united states are already equal under law. the fifth and 14th amendments to the constitution require as much, guaranteeing equal protection for all under the laws of this country. to me, the e.r.a. is unnecessary, redundant, and divisive. the only thing it will do is empower the far left's special

interest groups to lead to activist litigation. the head of planned parenthood declared, and i quote, there is no equal right to women without full abortion, plain and simple. and another, the e.r.a. would reinforce the constitutional right to abortion. we should take them at their word. for years, groups like planned parenthood and others have advocated for the adoption of the e.r.a. so they can use it to pursue their pro-abortion agendas. if the e.r.a. became law, it would allow these organizations to advance their radical policies through the courts without being in full view of the american people. these groups have hijacked the e.r.a. and are seeking to use it as a tool to challenge states' pro-life laws. but the reality is that this resolution is unconstitutional. article 5 of the constitution

empowers congress to propose amendments to the constitution by a 2/3 vote of both the house and the senate. after congress proposes an amendment, the amendment is sent to the states for ratification. 3/4 of the states must ratify the amendment in order for it to become effective. the equal rights amendment was proposed in 1972. the amendment set an explicit deadline. it gave the states seven years until 1979 for ratification. setting a deadline for ratification is part of congress' authority to determine the mode of ratification under article 5. in 1920, the supreme court held in dillon vs. gloss that there was no doubt that congress can set a date for ratifying an amendment. the deadline to ratify the e.r.a. has long since passed, and the amendment fell short of the required number of states.

when proposing a constitutional amendment, the deadline for ratification is just as important as the substance. the district court for district of columbia, less than two weeks ago, denied an effort by virginia, nevada, and illinois to force the adoption of the e.r.a., despite the 1979 deadline. in denying the effort of those states, the court said the deadline for ratification still receives the assent of 2/3 of both houses of congress and putting it in the resolving clause does not evade article 5 procedural requirements in any way. because setting a deadline takes a 2/3 vote of congress, it would be absurd to say that changing that deadline requires anything less. if a simple majority of congress could alter a proposed amendment, after it has been sent to the states, the 2/3 requirement of article 5 would be meaningless. a partisan majority cannot

rewrite a proposed amendment at will. after there has been an agreement in congress. however, that's just what h.j.res. 17 and the democrats propose to do. the e.r.a. expired in 1979, and this joint resolution is a legal fiction advanced for political purposes. i urge all members to oppose this resolution and, madam speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from minnesota reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, the gentlelady errs. the deadline for ratification is not part of the amendment, it's part of the resolution proposing the amendment. if congress can propose a deadline, it can revoke that proposal since it is not part of the amendment at all. i now yield three minutes to the gentlelady from california, miss speier. ms. speier: the gentlelady from california is recognized. --

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from california is recognized. ms. speier: this is a glorious day for women in america with passage of the e.r.a. and the violence against women act, we are making great strides forward. this particular resolution does one thing. we want in the constitution. plain and simple. antonin scalia the great jurist said once, does the constitution require discrimination based on sex? the answer is no. but if the question is, does the constitution prohibit discrimination based on sex, the answer is also no. that should send a chilling feeling in each of us that in the constitution of the united states, women are not protected. in fact, we are the only country with a written constitution that does not prohibit discrimination based on sex.

shame op us. there can be -- shame on us. there can be no expiration date on equality. this is a bipartisan bill. we are proud to bring it to the floor. my colleagues across the aisle may say we don't need the e.r.a. women are already equal under the law. that it is redundant. well, tell that to kristi who was raped by two football players at virginia tech. she sought justice under vawa, but the supreme court struck down the civil suit provision claiming, congress lacked the power to pass it. or tracy, whose starting salary at the arizona department of education was $17,000 less than her colleagues. they based the salaries on what their prior salary was from whatever job they came. so she received $17,000 less than her colleagues.

she, too, filed an action under the equal pay act, and the courts held that there was some reasonable expectation. well, there is nothing reasonable about that. and until we have the e.r.a. in the constitution, that provides the same level of scrutiny as race discrimination, this will continue to be a problem. or ask jessica if she thinks it's redundant whose estranged husband kidnapped and murdered their three young daughters after the police refused to enforce a restraining order. if we had the e.r.a., these cases would have had different outcomes. the e.r.a. will create stronger legal resource against sex discrimination. it will empower congress to better enforce and act laws protecting women, and it will confirm the rightful place of gender equality in the constitution where it belongs.

i believe most of us recognize that this is the right thing to do. the e.r.a. is about building america that we want. it's about forming a more perfect union. it's about equality, survival, dignity, and respect. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. ms. speier: i yield back. mr. nadler: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: madam chair, i yield two minutes to my good friend, the gentleman from new jersey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. >> madam speaker, some lawmakers continue to ignore, trivialize, or deny the fact that abortion activists plan to aggressively use the federal e.r.a. as they have used state e.r.a.s in a litigation strategy designed to overturn pro-life laws and policies, including restrictions supported by huge majorities of americans. mr. smith: as a maris poll found, january, seven in 10 americans, including nearly half who identify as

pro-choice, want significant restrictions on abortions. while i fundamentally disagree with abortion activist who refuse to recognize an unborn child in dignity worth and value, many now agree that the e.r.a. as written will massively promote abortion. pro-choice america said, the e.r.a. would enforce -- reinforce the constitutional right to abortion. and require judges to strike down anti-abortion laws, end quote. the national organization for women said an e.r.a. properly interpreted could negate the hundreds of laws that have passed restricting access to abortion. those laws include the hyde amendment waiting periods, women's right to know laws, conscience rights, and late term abortion bans like the partial-birth abortion act. by now my colleagues know that the supreme court of new mexico ruled that the state was

required, required to fund abortion based solely on the state e.r.a. and like the supreme court of connecticut invalidated its state ban based on its e.r.a. ensuring equal rights for women and serious protections against violence and exploitation requires laws, policies, and spending priorities to achieve those noble and necessary goals. without, i say again, without putting unborn baby girls and boys at risk of death. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from minnesota reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, i'm glad the gentleman recognizes that equality includes the right of each woman and man to make their own decisions about their reproductive choices. there can be no equality of the sexes when one class of people is denied the ability to control their own bodies. i now yield one minute to the distinguished gentlelady from georgia, mrs. mcbath.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from georgia. mrs. mcbath: i thank the gentleman for yielding. madam speaker, i celebrate this women's history month by reflecting on the achievement of so many women who have blazed a trail for generations that followed them. women who didn't listen when they were told that they couldn't, they shouldn't, or that they didn't belong. american women have fought for the right to vote, the right to equal education, the right to reproductive health care, and the right to financially provide for our families and be compensated the same as men. and we will continue these fights until our constitution declares that women are equal in the eyes of the law. and it's time for full constitutional equality. the american people overwhelmingly support this bipartisan legislation. i'm proud to vote for it again today. in honor of the generations of women that have made strides toward equality. i know that we will soon

achieve it. i yield back the balance of my time. mr. nadler: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the chair recognizes the the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: madam speaker, i yield one minute to the gentlewoman from indiana. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from indiana. >> thank you, madam speaker. i think it's a good discussion to have, but i would suggest my colleagues from the other side this-f they do believe this issue still valid and necessary to actual start this process from the beginning. mrs. spartz: we are wasting our time right here. 1972 amendment, it doesn't exist. it's expired. it's unconstitutional. a lot of things have changed. and we can debate if it's necessary or not. if we want a real debate, we needle to start from the beginning and not waste time debating something that doesn't exist. i would ask not to support this

amendment. i yield back. miss fish back: madam speaker, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from minnesota reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: i now yield one minute to the distinguished gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee. mr. cohen: thank you, madam speaker. i want to thank the chairman for his time. i want to thank mrs. maloney and speier for their long work on this. many women before them have worked hard on this effort. congress created the limitation on years on the passage of the e.r.a. and congress can change it and congress should change it. i'm the product of the work of a woman, my mother. and her mother produced her. we should not forget women and their commitment and invaluable contributions at our birth. every woman should have the same rights as a man. they don't get paid the same.

they are discriminated in the workplace. they are harassed. they are abused. they should have equal rights. that has not occurred in america and won't happen until we pass this bill. i favor the passage and appreciate the spirit which it's offered. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york reserves. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: madam speaker, i yield four minutes to the gentlewoman from arizona. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from arizona. mrs. lesko: thank you, mrs. fischbach. madam speaker, i rise in opposition to this bill. this push to remove the deadline for ratification of the equal rights amendment is an unnecessary and unconstitutional power grab. this bill is unconstitutional. congress set a deadline for the e.r.a. it was 1979. with only 35 of the 38 states needed for ratification at the time, congress extended the

deadline to 1982. but no other states joined in. ending the ratification process for the equal rights amendment. even the late supreme court justice ruth bader ginsberg said that the deadline for the e.r.a. ratification had long passed. she said, and i quote, i would like to see a new beginning. i would like it to start over. there's too much catastrophe about latecomers. virginia, long after the deadline passed. 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 have changed our minds? if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to ratify the e.r.a., they have to start over.

women, also already have equal rights under the law. in decision after decision, the united states supreme court has underscored that the 14th amendment to the united states constitution gives women equal rights and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, rendering, i believe, the e.r.a. unnecessary. finally, if ratified, the e.r.a. would be used to codify the right to abortion. undoing pro-life protections and forcing taxpayers to fund abortions. the new mexico supreme court ruled that their state's e.r.a. provision required the state to fund abortions. numerous pro-abortion groups have already made the case for ratifying the e.r.a. on the basis of expanding their abortion agenda. just listen to the words of the

organization's pushing this legislation themselves. the national abortion and reproductive rights action league has claimed that, quote, with its ratification the e.r.a. would reinforce the constitutional right to abortion. unquote. planned parenthood and the women's law project have said that state bans on government funding of elective abortions are, quote, contrary to modern understanding of the e.r.a., unquote. the national organization for women has said, quote, an e.r.a. properly interpreted could negate the hundreds of laws that have been passed restricting access to abortion care and contraceptive -- contraception, unquote. with this unconstitutional bill, my colleagues across the aisle are hiding behind the

rhetoric of equality for women to eliminate any and all protections for unborn babies. half of which would be girls, then women if given a chance to live. and with that, i urge my colleagues to oppose this bill. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from minnesota reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from tennessee, mr. cohen, control the balance of time in our side. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. cohen: thank you. unlike alexander hague, i'm only here temporarily. i'd first like to recognize the marvelous woman from the east side of new york who brought us this and brought us a great hearing last year, mrs. maloney.

the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes -- how much time? mr. cohen: two minutes and a little more if you need t the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from new york. mrs. maloney: there is no time limit on equality. . the equal rights passed the needed 38 states, including the great state of new york. enough is enough. it's long past time for women to be in the constitution. we may not always be able to control nor should women's rights be dependent upon who controls state governments, who's in the white house or congress or who sits on the supreme court. our right shouldn't be determined by these types of things. it should be in the document,

the document they interpret and that they are bound by. and it is long past time to spell out equality in our constitution with the e.r.a. unfortunately, we're seeing the effects of gender inequality acutely during this pandemic. an estimated one million more women than men have lost their jobs, and a disproportionate number of these suffering are black women and latinas. we need to pass it. it is urgently needed. let's just imagine if the e.r.a. had been ratified in the 1970's, as it should have been. would we have needed today a dramatic me too times up movement with hundreds of thousands of women having tell their often painful stories in order to get justice, or would

the violence against women act without the risk of supreme court ruling limiting a woman's right to sue. women could sue directly if they were in the constitution. we have the opportunity to make equal rights under the law a reality for our mothers, our daughters, our granddaughters, and ourselves. we must recognize that there is no time limit on equality and vote to pass today's resolution now. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady's time has expired. and would the gentlelady please pull her mask up. mr. cohen: thank you, madam speaker. i ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from new york, the chairman of the committee, control the balance of the time on our side. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman will control the balance of the time. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: madam speaker, i

reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady from minnesota reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, i now yield one minute to a distinguished gentlelady from california, ms. chu. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlelady from california. ms. chu: discrimination against women is a part of america's history, but it should not be our future. that's why we need the equal rights amendment. it was not an accident that women were left out of the constitution. the founders very much believed us to be unequal, and as such,

we could not own property, vote, hold certain jobs or even serve on a jury. and the impacts of that discrimination are still felt today. women are paid less than men and still face discrimination for being pregnant. the founders were wrong and this is our chance to fix it by doing what they refuse to do. assert in the constitution that women, too, have rights. the e.r.a. will not end discrimination, but it will empower us to fight it in court. already, 38 states have ratified this amendment which satisfies the requirement in the constitution, and the vast majority of americans support it. congress set a deadline for ratification, which means we can repeal it. it's time to affirm that there is no expiration date on equality. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves.

the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from minnesota. mrs. fischbach: madam speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentlewoman from georgia. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from georgia. mrs. greene: thank you. the language of the equal rights amendment is simple but don't be deceived by its simple language. the reviving of the deadline and ratifying of this amendment would destroy all distinctions between men and women, enshrine abortion, and empower the woke feminist mob. the equal rights amendment is dead and should remain dead. the states and congress missed the deadline to have the amendment passed in 1979. the trump department of justice issued a legal opinion in january, and the deadline for e.r.a. has already passed by any legal measure. the e.r.a. would be a new constitutional right,

guaranteeing abortion on demand. have we not murdered enough people in the womb in this country? over 62 million. and guaranteeing abortion on demand is completely wrong. it's not a constitutional right. as a matter of fact, the person in the womb should have the constitutional right, and it's not a my body my choice issue, because the person in the womb is not the same body as the woman. also, narrow pro-choice america claims. with this ratification, the e.r.a. would reinforce the constitutional right to abortion. if anything, we should be guaranteeing constitutional rights to people in the womb. they should have the constitutional right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. let's carry on. vawa, violence against women's

act. democrats have hijacked a program designed to help marginalized women and turned it into a political weapon that erases gender and destroys all religious freedoms. on the wall right here it says in god we trust. god states that he created male and female, not a plethora of genders that anyone can choose from. they want to let men sleep with women, men calling themselves women to sleep with women in domestic abuse shelters. the democrats will not be satisfied until every battered woman is endangered so long as their sexual orientation and gender identity, ideological advances. that's not science. science says there's only two genders, male and female, according to the chromosomes. make no mistake about it, democrats want to destroy our country, they want to close

every church and nonprofit who doesn't capitulate to their oppressive agenda. democrats want to put domestic violence abusers in the same room as their victims. democrats want to desolve all sex-based protection for women and girls through the relentless onslaught of gender -- the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman's time has expired. mrs. greene: i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from minnesota reserves. the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: madam speaker, every amendment since the 22nd except for the 27th has had a deadline for ratification inserted in it. inserted in the resolution. but if you look at the constitution, you won't find it -- you won't find it -- the deadline. that's because the deadline is part of the congressional resolution proposed in the amendment. not part of the amendment itself. congress can propose congress can alter which is all we're

proposing to do today. i yield one minute to the distinguished speaker of the house, ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: the chair recognizes the speaker of the house. the speaker: thank you, madam speaker. i thank the gentleman for yielding. it's wonderful to see members of congress wearing white today to observe the fact that we are making history by passing legislation about equality in our country. i thank congresswoman jackie speier for her relentless championing of this equal rights amendment in terms of the date that distinguished chair of the judiciary committee referenced, and i also thank carolyn maloney for her long-term advocacy of the equal rights amendment. thank you, mr. chairman nadler, foreenabling -- for enabling us to have this legislation on the floor today and for your leadership on this issue over time. madam speaker, 100 years ago, 1921, a solemn promise was made

to the women of our country, one honoring our most fundamental truth to the nation, as the equal rights amendment was first introduced. when it was first introduced it said, men and women shall have equal rights throughout the united states and every place subject to its jurisdiction. simple, clear, fair, and just. yet, a century later, that promise remains unfulfilled. the equal rights amendment still has not been enshrined in the constitution, and the american women still face inequality under the law and, therefore, in their lives. in recent years, american women have renewed the legal fight for the equal rights amendment. women of all backgrounds, students, mothers, seniors, women of color, indigenous, etc., have taken up the mantle of the suffragist before them standing on suffragists' shoulders as they marched and

mobilized, protested and picketed for their rights. and because of their courage and commitment, 38 states have now ratified the equal rights amendment. but one final barrier, removing the arbitrary time limit for ratification, as the distinguished chairman pointed out, that deadline is not in the time -- timetable is not in the constitution. until we remove that arbitrary time limit, the e.r.a. cannot become part of our constitution. last year, the house passed legislation to remove the this arbitrary time limit, but unfortunately, the senate failed to do so. so today, the house will once again pass this legislation and send it to the senate for a vote and we are proud to be doing it in women's history month. we salute, again, congresswoman jackie speier, who championed this legislation, and

congresswoman carolyn maloney, who has been the lead sponsor of the e.r.a. for 25 years now. i thank members on both sides of the aisle including representative tom reed of new york, for their bipartisan support in the congress, which reflects the overwhelming bipartisan support in the country. a full 94% of the public supports the equal rights amendment, including 99%, nearly unanimous support among millennials and generation z. let us not forget that in 1972, the equal rights amendment was passed by bipartisan super majorities in both chambers of congress and enjoyed the strong support of president nixon who wrote in 1968 that, quote, the task of achieving constitutional equality between the sexes is still not completed and pointed out that all republican national conventions since 1940 has

supported the long time movement for equality. there is no reason why today, after 80 years of republican support, the e.r.a. should not have full bipartisan support in the congress. the resolution on the floor today will pave the way to passage of the equal rights amendment, which is one of the most important steps that we can take to affirm and ensure women's equality in america. the text of equal rights amendment states, equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the united states or by any state on account of sex. on the account of sex. it calls to mind the beautiful documentary about ruth bader ginsburg. passing the equal rights amendment will create essential avenues of legal recourse for people who face discrimination under the law on the basis of

sex. it will ensure that the supreme court applies the same standard of review for sex discrimination cases as it applies to cases of discrimination based on race and national origin. it will help congress pass laws for better legal protections against injustice, including those related to sexual assault, domestic violence, and paycheck fairness. or unfairness. and it will confirm the rightful place of gender equality in all aspects of life. there are some who say the equal rights amendment is not needed. to them, i quote the late justice antonin scalia who said -- justice scalia said, certainly the constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. the only issue is whether it prohibits it. it does not. there are not -- these are not just words. this is the daily reality. it does not. this is the daily reality for

american women who face inequality and injustice for so many arenas of life, from a massive wage gap to pregnancy discrimination to sexual harassment in the worse place that have worsened during the coronavirus. passing this resolution and then the e.r.a. will not only help women. by unleashing the full economic potential of women, doing so will help families and boost our economy all the while advancing justice and equality in america for everyone. with that, i urge a strong bipartisan vote on this strong step toward equality for women progress, for families and a stronger america, affirming the truth, madam speaker, that you have espoused when women succeeds america succeeds. with that i, again, commend the leadership on this issue, the distinguished chairman, the sponsor of the resolution, jackie speier, carolyn maloney, anyi