TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Remarks At A Press Conference Following Historic Senate Vote To Advance Resolution On Equal Rights Amendment

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke at a press conference following a vote to advance a resolution on the Equal Rights Amendment. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Thank you. And I just want to say one thing.

We lost this vote; we are going to win this fight.

And that’s why I moved to reconsider; so we can come back and do it again.

And people all over the country who voted against this will be told, why did you do that? Why didn’t you vote for the equality that America believes in? Why didn’t we take that giant step towards greater equality?

The amazing leadership of Ben Cardin, and Amy Klobuchar, and Dick Blumenthal, and most of all, all of you. And I want to give a particular shout out to Carolyn Maloney, who worked so hard to make this happen, and all the others who are here.

Now, there is no good reason that we bind ourselves to limitations that were set nearly fifty years ago by politicians who are long gone to prevent us today from guaranteeing equality for women.

And we are going to fight and fight and fight until we win. This is what America is all about.

Remember, the Constitution doesn’t impose this barrier – and by keeping it in place, we’re needlessly obeying skewed rules set by politicians long gone, whose views ought not to rule the day.

It is 2023. Women are under assault, politically, in so many ways, whether it’s the right to choose or women’s health care or discrimination or so many other things.

It’s about time America said no to all of that.

It’s about time America said no to the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court, that we need protections for women.

So, we are here today but we are not sad. We are exultant.   

We are not here to curse the darkness. We are lighting candles for the future. When you fight and you are right, you win. When you fight and you are right, you win. When you fight and you are right, you win.

And we will win. Thank you for being here everybody.

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