The House of Representatives passed a bill this week automatically registering men age 18 to 26 for selective service.
The measure was a part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which plans the U.S. government’s military and national security goals the following year.
This year’s NDAA allocates $859.2 billion in military spending.
One mandatory proponent of the bill is that all male citizens over the age of 18 must register for the selective service, also known as the military draft.
Failure to do so results in a felony charge and the potential for a list of legal issues.
“By using available federal databases, the [Selective Service] agency will be able to register all of the individuals required and thus help ensure that any future military draft is fair and equitable,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, (D-PA), said of the bill.
“This will also allow us to rededicate resources — basically that means money — towards reading readiness and towards mobilization rather than towards education and advertising campaigns driven to register people.”
The NDAA passed in a 217 to 199 vote, where it is unlikely to be considered in the Senate.
