Monthly Archives: May 2012

Let’s extend the deadline to ratify the ERA

Ask Senator Schumer to co-sponsor the extension

ERA Button

The ERA, as you know, is not dead. Nor has it been ratified.

Last year Tammy Baldwin (WI) submitted a resolution to remove the seven year deadline. This spring my Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) submitted SJ Res. 39 to remove the deadline. Recently he was here at my retirement community and spoke eloquently about the need for ERA and that he believes the deadline can be removed. The Resolution will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee in a few months. Florida is working furiously to ratify.Earlier this year the House in Virginia ratified.

Getting the three states is not out of the question.

WHAT WE NEED: Sen. Schumer is on the Judiciary Committee and has not signed on as a co-sponsor. We need calls to his office 202-224-6542 as soon as possible.

– Susan Hoover, AAUW NYS Public Policy Chair.

The ERA was written in 1923 by Alice Paul, suffragist leader and founder of the National Woman’s Party.  She and the NWP considered the ERA to be the next necessary step after the 19th Amendment (affirming women’s right to vote) in guaranteeing “equal justice under law” to all citizens.

bullet Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.
bullet Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
bullet Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

AAUW Kingston at the Women’s Health & Fitness Expo

AAUW Kingston's Women's Health Expo Booth 2012

Several branch volunteers spend a great day talking with many of the thousands of women at the Expo Saturday. We heard lots of concern that the country is moving backwards when it comes to the issues women care about. Here’s a picture of our booth.

Thanks to volunteers Susan Holland, Vivi Hlavsa, Susan Hirsch, Dhere Dorian, Lydia Mellos, Erica Weiss, Marge Roberts who worked the booth with Ruth Wahtera, and Ruth Bean and Delores LaChance who helped set up on Friday night.

Play Games for Scholarships

Bridge / Cards & Games Social

Fun and Games & Fabulous Desserts

Bring Your Friends, Cards and Games

(Scrabble, Mahjong, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, etc.)

Wed. May 16th, 1:00-4:00 PM

At the

Kingston Library Community Room

Sponsored by AAUW Education Fund

$10 per person for scholarships

Reservations by Monday 5/14/2012: 246-4507