The Equal Rights Amendment

Below is the text of the Equal Rights Amendment. It passed in both houses of Congress in 1972 but was not ratified because it did not meet the 1982 deadline (which had been extended beyond the seven years mentioned in the resolution) for passage in a sufficient number of states.

The Equal Rights Amendment

House Joint Resolution 208

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to equal rights for men and women.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That
The following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress:
“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.
“Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
“Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.”

Source: Library of Congress.