The ERA is the Equal Rights Amendment The United States Constitution does not guarantee equal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. The reality is that women are still not equal under the law. Women are not protected. While legislation has been passed throughout the years, none of these allowances are in fact secure. One shift in public opinion combined with a change in the political majority can, and has, led to legislation that chips away at long fought and hard earned privileges. The ratification of the ERA would at long last end the legal distinctions between men and women in the United States of America. The ERA was introduced to every single session of Congress from 1923 until it finally passed the U.S. House and Senate, in its current form on March 22, 1972. It then came barreling out of Congress and headed to the states for ratification. Over the course of that following year, 30 of the required 38 states successfully ratified the amendment. Only 60% of states agreed that women should be afforded equal constitutional protection. Upon reaching its 7-year deadline in 1979, without achieving ratification, the deadline was extended by Congress until 1982. despite the extension, the 38 state requirement, unfortunately, remained unmet. S.J.Res.5 removes the deadline and paves the way for the ERA to become the 28th amendment to the United States Constitution. We only need 2 more states to ratify the ERA. The time is NOW.

The ERA is long overdue and in this age of 'me too' and 'Time's Up' we could get this done now.

I am an American Citizen and business owner I think it is wrong to use an organization that is mandated to protect an individuals rights to health care to purposely limit that care because of the care providers personal belief. A broad interpretation of this policy could potentially affect any American .

With the sexual molestation crisis that has occurred in our sport, it is reprehensible that we are requiring our female athletes to continue to train in a facility that was used by a child predator to commit horrible crimes for 20 years. USA Gymnastics SHOULD NOT REQUIRE GYMNASTS TO RETURN TO THE SITE WHERE THEY WERE ABUSED. Let's move our USA Gymnastics National Team Training center to a place that is in good standing with the SafeSport guidelines of our governing body. This action should take place immediately.

Passing the Equal Rights Amendment is long overdue! In 2017 Virginia women have proven their political clout and their dedication to raising their voices to be heard on all issues. Constitutional equality for women and men is a national and international concern. We must make Virginia a leader in this fight! It's time for equality for women to become the law of our land--starting with Virginia!

Charges against Al Franken are clearly bogus. No one was hurt; no one was pressured to do anything against their will. There is a vast difference between two adults in front of a camera and a lecher and a young girl in a car behind a dumpster or a president viewing all women as targets for his own lechery. The rush to judgment on Franken devalues all the real sexual predator charges brought against others.

I've had enough! Sexual predators at all levels of our government but particularly in the very highest levels should be just as accountable for their actions. Many of us believed Anita Hill at the time but in "the old days" this kind of behavior was pushed under the table. We need to right the wrongs of the past, in addition to dealing with those of the present. Please join!

I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I kept my secret for 55 years. With all the women coming forward, I feel their pain but I also feel the strength and pride of my “sisters”.

I have never seen a petition about these two specific issues together and I think it's about time one was created.

Girls and women need the means and training to defend themselves. Saying "no" and running and hiding is no defense.

Amazon Studios, with its own troubling history of sexual harassment by senior staff [1] and talent they've represented, is celebrating the #MeToo movement by distributing [2] a movie produced by a man credibly accused of molesting his daughter, and denied custody on that basis. [3] Why should victims of sexual assault continue to be told by the actions of our major cultural institutions that if a man is wealthy and famous enough, he can continue to have a career as a prominent tastemaker and trendsetter even after demonstrating that they're a public safety threat? Why must we continue to have the stories [4] that shape society told by men with no regard for the dignity or rights of others? Please do better. [1] - "Amazon Studios ousts its scripted and unscripted entertainment heads" https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2017/10/24/execjoelewisoutatamazonstudios/793829001/ [2] - "Woody Allen’s ‘Wonder Wheel’ Scores December Release (EXCLUSIVE)" http://variety.com/2017/film/awards/woody-allen-wonder-wheel-justin-timberlake-1202462903/ [3] - "Dylan Farrow: Why has the #MeToo revolution spared Woody Allen?" http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-farrow-woody-allen-me-too-20171207-story.html [4] - "Woody Allen’s New Movie Isn’t a Confession. It’s Something Much More Damaging." http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2017/12/01/woody_allen_s_wonder_wheel_plays_like_a_confession.html

Americans have a right to know how Congress is spending their tax dollars, and this hush money used to hide deplorable conduct by Members and their staffs is no exception. That's why Congress must immediately pass legislation that prohibits lawmakers from using their Members Representational Allowances -- or any other public funds -- to settle sexual harassment cases. Furthermore, we call on Congressional leadership in both parties to publicly disclose the names of Members of Congress and congressional staff who have used their offices' funds or any other account to pay sexual harassment or misconduct settlements. In doing so, victims' identities must be protected, unless they decide to reveal their names, and the date on which the settlement took place must be kept private to protect victims. The opacity of how Congress handles harassment claims has enabled continued repulsive behavior to occur by Members and staff in the "People's House." Ultimately, if congressional budgets were more transparent, heightened attention to harassment and misconduct settlements may have helped prevent some of these heinous acts. We demand that Congress act now to stop using their taxpayer-funded office budgets from being spent to settle sexual harassment lawsuits -- and publicly disclose the name of all Members who have done so.