The military draft could be rewritten to require women to sign up for the Selective Service System, according to a policy draft written by Senate Armed Services Chair Jack Reed, D-R.I., Politico reports.
Politico notes that Reed’s proposal, which would expand the service’s registration to “All Americans,” could be added to the “must-pass” National Defense Authorization Act that’s currently being worked on in Congress, though this could spark a debate between Republicans and Democrats over the issue. A spokesperson for the senator declined to comment to Politico.
A congressional commission recommended last March that women should be made eligible for the draft following a multi-year study into the issue.
“This is a necessary and fair step, making it possible to draw on the talent of a unified Nation in a time of national emergency,” the commissioners wrote in their report, which was obtained by Politico.
“It’s insulting to suggest America’s mothers and wives and daughters couldn’t contribute, whether the need were rebuilding levees after a natural disaster or repelling an invasion from our shores,” Kori Schake, the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, told the panel at the time. “America’s daughters should be slotted into service as their physical and emotional suitability proves capable of, just like America’s sons.”
Previous attempts to change the requirement include as a provision added to the 2016 defense policy bill that was later removed before its passing. The Supreme Court also rejected a legal challenge made last June by a men’s rights group claiming that the draft violates the Constitution’s equal protection clause.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.