Question

Why is the Equal Rights Amendment missing from the U.S. Constitution even though thirty-eight states have now ratified it?

a The amendment was written too long ago.
b Courts have ruled the amendment is no longer valid.
c Votes for ratification must be counted again.
d Five states want to take back their votes.​

Answer 1

The correct answer is (a) The amendment was written too long ago.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was originally proposed in 1972 with a deadline for ratification set at 1979. However, the amendment fell short of the required number of state ratifications by that deadline. In subsequent years, Congress extended the deadline to 1982, but it still did not receive the necessary number of state ratifications. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the ERA had been ratified by 38 states, which is the minimum number required for an amendment to be added to the U.S. Constitution.

Despite the ratifications, the amendment has not been added to the Constitution primarily because it is believed that the extended deadline for ratification was not valid. The amendment's supporters argue that the deadline extensions were within Congress's authority, while opponents argue that the original deadline had expired, and thus the amendment cannot be added. This legal dispute has prevented the ERA from becoming part of the Constitution.

Step-by-step explanation: