Crawford On Equal Rights Amendment

by Rick Crawford: Last week, the House passed H. J. Res. 79, a resolution designed to negate the seven-year deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) originally set in 1972. Sadly, I was unable to participate in this vote because I was attending the funeral of a close family friend. However, I am not afraid to say that I would not have supported this resolution had I been present.

As a husband and a proud girl dad, I am, of course, supportive of a nation in which women enjoy all of the same freedoms as men. However, the legislation that came before the House of Representatives this week was not about equal rights for women but was instead an attempt by pro-abortion groups to overturn nearly all existing pro-life policies. This was not a movement for the expansion of women's rights but a serious infringement on the lives of the voiceless. Pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood have not shied away from speaking the truth about the ERA, blatantly promoting it as the next step for further solidifying Roe v. Wade and claiming it as the path to "bodily autonomy." I support equal opportunity, equal pay, and equal rights for women, but I will not support a pro-abortion Equal Rights Amendment.

In addition to being a serious pro-life threat, H. J. Res. 79 was an attempt by House Democrats to force an amendment written over half a century ago into our founding document. The United States of 1972 is not the same as the United States today- our culture and society look dramatically different. If we are going to take on a task as monumental as amending the Constitution, we must ensure that our language and actions reflect the values of America in 2020. We cannot flagrantly ignore the process of governance intricately designed by our Founders, and we cannot legislate in the 21st century with the words of the 20th century.

At the end of the day, H. J. Res 79 is a tool to bury the beliefs of pro-life women and eliminate the rights of the unborn under the ruse of promoting equality. As the ERA conversation almost inevitably continues in our nation, I urge you to remember the importance of preserving the rights of all Americans, and I promise to do the same.
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Rep. Rick Crawford is a Republican serving the 1st District of Arkansas and is the the ARRA News Service Editor's Congressman.

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