Biden Affirms Equal Rights Amendment But Move Lacks Legal Effect
- President in symbolic move declares that amendment is the law
- US archivist has found that measure fell short of ratification
US President Joe Biden
Photographer: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg
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President Joe Biden declared the 1972 Equal Rights Amendment as “the law of the land” on Friday, using one of the final days of his presidency to burnish his record on women’s rights.
But his 172-word statement declaring the constitutional amendment ratified is unlikely to have any legal effect. The president plays no formal role in certifying constitutional amendments, and the US archivist — who does have that responsibility — has said the amendment has fallen short of ratification.