SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Constitution is one step closer to adopting a new constitutional amendment to guarantee gender equality.

State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) worked with the Illinois State Senate to pass Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 4, which proposes to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution.

“Illinois could play a part in this historic role in the fight for gender equality,” said Castro, a sponsor of the measure. “This fight has lasted over 40 years and Illinois could be the 37^th out of the 38 needed to ratify the amendment to the U.S. Constitution, placing us on the right side of history.”

Currently, there is not a Constitutional provision that specifically guarantees equality based on sex. Without the ERA, current laws protecting women’s rights are often ignored, weakened or even reversed. 

“My responsibility is to represent the people of my community and state. This amendment protects both men and women,” Castro said. “By passing this, Illinois is taking a huge step in the right direction, not only for our state, but for our country.”

SJRCA 4 passed the Senate with bipartisan support and now moves to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released a response to Governor Rauner’s decision, if requested by President Trump, to send Illinois National Guard soldiers to the U.S.-Mexico border.

“The members of the Illinois National Guard are a well-trained group ready to take on numerous responsibilities,” said Castro. “Providing political cover for the president’s growing personal scandals should not be one of them. It is irresponsible of Governor Rauner to use our state’s National Guard to help further the president’s agenda.”

ELGIN – Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) issued the following statement in response to the governor’s press conference at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy today:

“What is this guy talking about? Everything he said today was a contradiction of what we were told last week by his administration.”

“Last week we were told the nearby nursing home might not be option for housing veterans because the building is old and might have its own problems. Today we’re told it’s back on the table.

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is continuing to ask questions and seek answers regarding the Legionnaires’ disease epidemic at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy.

The joint House-Senate Veterans Affairs Committee met today in Chicago to question key Rauner officials on their response to the ongoing outbreak.