Whereas the Equal Rights Amendment provides an explicit constitutional basis for combating sex discrimination and provides Congress with authority to enact stronger laws to ensure sex equality by adding the following language to the United States Constitution: 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. 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification. ; Whereas Article V provides two requirements for amending the United States Constitution, including— (1) passage in both Houses of Congress by two-thirds of each body; and (2) ratification by three-fourths of the States; Whereas the House of Representatives passed the Equal Rights Amendment on October 12, 1971, with a vote of 354 yeas and 24 nays (with 51 not voting), the Senate passed the Equal Rights Amendment on March 22, 1972, by a vote of 84 yeas and 8 nays (with 7 not voting), and the amendment was sent to the States for ratification; Whereas three-fourths of the States have ratified the Equal Rights Amendment, the final State necessary, Virginia, having ratified on January 27, 2020, including— (1) Hawaii (March 22, 1972); (2) New Hampshire (March 23, 1972); (3) Delaware (March 23, 1972); (4) Iowa (March 24, 1972); (5) Idaho (March 24, 1972); (6) Kansas (March 28, 1972); (7) Nebraska (March 29, 1972); (8) Texas (March 30, 1972); (9) Tennessee (April 4, 1972); (10) Alaska (April 5, 1972); (11) Rhode Island (April 14, 1972); (12) New Jersey (April 17, 1972); (13) Colorado (April 21, 1972); (14) West Virginia (April 22, 1972); (15) Wisconsin (April 26, 1972); (16) New York (May 18, 1972); (17) Michigan (May 22, 1972); (18) Maryland (May 26, 1972); (19) Massachusetts (June 21, 1972); (20) Kentucky (June 27, 1972); (21) Pennsylvania (September 27, 1972); (22) California (November 13, 1972); (23) Wyoming (January 26, 1973)