Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney has spent her nearly 30 years in the House fighting for women’s rights, particularly for making the Equal Rights Amendment a part of the U.S. Constitution. 

On March 1, to mark the start of Women’s History Month, she introduced a new ERA bill that would accompany another bill that would remove the arbitrary deadline imposed to officially ratify the ERA, a deadline allowed to lapse in the last administration.

She joined In Focus to talk about the bills and why she believes that, after nearly 100 years of trying, the ERA could soon become the 28^th amendment added to the Constitution. 

She also spoke to the opposition to the bill, which would prevent women from facing the disadvantages of discrimination.

She pointed to a statement made by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who once said if a case came up before him involving discrimination against women, he would never vote for the woman, because “women aren’t in the Constitution."

It’s not the only pro-woman legislation she’s introduced. She also sponsored a new Violence Against Women Act, a bill passed in 1994, then revoked in the last administration. 

She recounts her history with that bill, having stood with then-Senator Joe Biden, the bill’s author, as it moved through Congress, and talks about why she believes it’s more important than ever that it be enshrined into law.