PRESS COMMENT on the E.R.A. Extension Bill The New Republic: "There is an elemental notion of fairness involved here. The seven-year period set for ratification of constitutional amendments is a neutral procedure, universally understood and applied and relied on by all sides.... Constitutional provisions.... cannot be made effective by courts alone. They require, if not the support, at least the acquiescence of people in general. That is unlikely to come if people feel the ERA has been 'snuck through.'" St. Louis Globe Democrat: "If by some fluke Congress should go along with this backdoor attempt to win passage for ERA, it should be clearly stipulated that states' rights will be respected all the way. This means that any state which has rescinded its vote to ratify the amendment should be allowed to let that decision stand. The same goes for any state that might want to reverse its pro-ERA vote in the future as a protest against the assault on fair play by the amendment's supporters." Seattle Times: "A seven-year extension of the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.... would be unreasonable, inequitable and unwise We support the ERA and its goal of full equality for American women. But we also believe in the democratic process and the principles of fairplay. .... We trust Congress will realize that to take such an unequal action on the controversial Equal Rights Amendment would be divisive and just plain wrong." Wilmington Morning News: "In their fear of failure, ERA supporters are, unfortunately, losing their cool.... The present ERA will have been to market often enough by 1979 to merit a shiny new dress if the old one failed to attract for seven arduous years." Buffalo Evening News: "In our book, even as a suporter of ERA, this whole effort should be rejected out of hand as a straight case of trying to change the rules in the middle of the game. We agree with former U.S. Solicitor General Erwin N., Griswold that it would be a terrible precedent and a breach of faith with the states'.... If this country is not going to stick to the rulebook for anything as fundamental as amendments to the United States Constitution, then what rulebook will it live by?" Washington Post: "If Congress is going to give more time for reconsideration by those states that have expressed themselves, in a sense, by not doing anything about the ERA, it should in fairness, offer an equal opportunity for reconsideration by those states that have acted affirmatively." Phoenix Gazette: "Seven years is plenty of time for an emendment to be considered. It would be a breach of good faith for Congress to grant the extension. This is rather like it would have been for the Kansas City Royals to demand two more innings in which to try to defeat the New York Yankees and thereby qualify for the World Series." St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "The prospect of Congress changing the rules in the middle of the game, as it were, is particularly unappealing.... Opponents would be sure to label the extension movement as an admission of weakness and use it against ratification. ERA supporters would help their own cause, in our opinion, if they say. "Thanks, but no thanks.... If ERA supporters reopen the ground rules as to deadline, opponents say they will try to insert permission for states to rescind ratification.... Changing the rules is not the way to bring about ratification." Savannah Evening Press: "Advocates of the extension are trying to change the rules in the middle of the game.... Constutitional or not, the proposal just isn't fair or practical." ATTACHMENT B As Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives and a former The Amendment has received ample debate in Arizona and has been On the issue of the extension, the House voted on an amendment to As you can see by the Journal of the House for March 30, 1978 (see So that we might direct more of our limited legislative time to subjects which are needed and desired by the people of Arizona, I urge you to defeat JR 638. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "Whereas, the majority of the American people through their state legislatures have voted "yes" on the Equal Rights Amendment; and Whereas, the Equal Rights Amendment is still a relevant and vital issue before the public; and Whereas, the necessity of the Equal Rights Amendment is as great today as it was in 1972 when it was passed by Congress, or 1923, when it was Whereas, there is nothing in the Constitution that requires a time- Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays: 1. That the Congress of the United States take action to extend the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment from March 22, 1979 to March, 1986. 2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, each member of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and to each member of the Arizona Congressional Delegation. 21 Amend title to conform md 3/30/78 HOUSE BILL 2424, An Act relating to waters; providing for county flood control districts; prescribing composition, powers and duties; providing for taxation and bonding; providing for assistance by Arizona water commission in developing flood control plans; providing for state financial assistance to certain county flood control districts; raising maximum amount of liabilities incurred for a disaster for a certain period; renumbering title 45, chapter 10, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, as article 1.1; transferring and renumbering sections 45-2301 and 45-2302, Arizona Revised Statutes, for placement in title 45, chapter 10, article 1.1 as sections 45-2311 and 45-2312; amending title 45, chapter 10, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding a new article 1; amending title 45, chapter 14, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding article 2, and making appropriations. On roll call HOUSE BILL 2424 passed the House by the following vote: AYES: Abril, Bahill, Barr, Bradford, Cajero, Carlson, Carrillo, Cooper, Corpstein, Dunn, C. (13), Dunn, P. (18), Elliott, English, Everett, Flynn, Goodwin, Goudinoff, Guerrero, Hamilton, Harelson, Hartdegen, Hawke, Hays, Holman, Jeffers, Jones, Jordan, Kay, Kenney, Kromko, Kunasek, Lewis, Marin, McCarthy, McConnell, Moore, Pacheco, Phillips, Ratliff, Rigel, Rockwell, Rosenbaum, Skelly, Sossaman, Steiner, Stewart, Thompson, Villa Verde, Vukcevich, West, Wettaw, Wilcox, Woodward, Wright, Speaker Kelley-55. NAYS: Akers, Hanley, Humphreys--3. NOT VOTING: McLoughlin, Peaches-2. House Bill 2424 was signed in open session by Speaker Kelley. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - SECOND READING OF BILLS Bills on the Active Calendar were read by number and short title, this constituting Second Reading of Bills not having had prior Second Reading. Motion by Mr. Barr, seconded by Mr. Sossaman, that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole for the consideration of the bills on the Calendar. Carried, and at 3:10 P.M., Mrs. McCarthy took the Chair. At 4:30 P.M., the Committee of the Whole was dissolved and Mrs. McCarthy, Chairman, reported that: Motion by Mr. Barr, seconded by Mr. Sossaman, that the report of the Committee of the Whole be adopted and the bills be properly assigned. Substitute motion by Miss Dunn, seconded by Mr. Bahill, that the motion by Mr. Barr be amended, and the portion of the recommendation of the Committee of the Whole that House Concurrent Memorial 2004 which was given a do pass as amended recommendation, be rejected and House Concurrent Memorial 2004 be given a do pass as amended recommendation with the C. Dunn floor amendment. Miss Dunn called for a roll call vote. Failed by the following vote: AYES: Abril, Bahill, Cajero, Carrillo, Dunn, C. (13), Goudinoff, Hamilton, Hanley, Kromko, Marin, Moore, Pacheco, Villa Verde, Wilcox-14. NAYS: Akers, Barr, Bradford, Carlson, Cooper, Corpstein, Dunn, P. (18), Elliott, English, Everett, Flynn, Goodwin, Guerrero, Harelson, Hartdegen, Hawke, Hays, Holman, Humphreys, Jeffers, Jones, Jordan, Kay, Kenney, Kunasek, Lewis, McCarthy, McConnell, Peaches, Phillips, |