Dear Friend,
Much work has taken place throughout the state on gaining support for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in Florida, and we thank everyone involved for their efforts.
Our strategy needs to be well coordinated and carried out on multiple fronts and we need to elevate the Equal Rights Amendment to movement status.
In order to accomplish this mission, we have created the non-partisan E.R.A. Legislative Coordinating Council. We want to encourage the participation of residents across this great state, build upon the work many have already done, share it, and make sure that the rest of our colleagues in the legislature know of your expectation that they will support the women in their districts this year -- no excuses will be acceptable.
We look forward to continuing this important work and we hope you will join with us to make this long held dream a reality.
Sincerely,
Senator Gwen Margolis Senator Arthenia Joyner
Sponsors and Co-Sponsors:
Senator Gwen Margolis (Sponsor S272)
Senator Arthenia Joyner (Co-Introducer)
Senator Frederica Wilson (Co-Introducer)
Senator Nan Rich (Co-Introducer)
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Representative Joyce Cusack (Sponsor H8003)
Representative Luis Garcia (Co-Sponsor)
Representative Audrey Gibson (Co-Sponsor)
Representative Ari Porth (Co-Sponsor)
Representative Julio Robaina (Co-Sponsor)
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March 8, 2007
Karen Woodall
ERAFlorida.org
579 E. Call St.
Tallahassee, Fl 32301
Dear Ms. Woodall,
On behalf of the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce™, I would like to express support for the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and its ratification in Florida.
First, however, I want to commend ERAFlorida.org for creating a non-partisan E.R.A. Legislative Coordinating Council to take action on this important issue. This is an economic issue, a women's issue and a family's issue which directly impacts the economic development of the community and our country.
Without this amendment to the constitution, we are forced to create laws that protect the rights of women - time that could be spent on more current issues. One such law was passed 6 years ago (to deal with a then 6-year old issue) to provide women owned businesses with the ability to compete and win federal contracts; yet, to date, the SBA has failed to implement it. Despite the court's finding that the SBA has sabotaged the efforts to implement the law and that millions of women-owned firms have been harmed in the process, the SBA continues to drag its feet on implementation. To date women-owned firms have lost over $30 billion dollars (over $5 billion annually) and will continue to do so until the law is implemented. These contracting dollars would go directly into the women-owned firms' communities to support local families by providing employment.
With the Equal Rights Amendment added to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing "equal justice under law" to all citizens, we would not need this law - we would automatically be protected under the constitution. Additionally, this would be true for Equal Work for Equal Wages (women still currently make 77¢ to a man's $1.00) and the many other disparities that affect women.
Sincerely,
Nancy Lee Hurlbert
National Policy Director
U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce™
