A U.S. Senate committee has approved defense legislation that would require young women to register for military Selective Service alongside men, if enacted.
QUICK FACTS:
- Women might be drafted into the U.S. military in the event of war.
- The Senate Armed Services Committee’s proposed 2022 defense policy bill contains a provision that would require women to register for the draft, officially known as the Selective Service System, according to Military.com.
- The Senate’s proposed National Defense Authorization Act amends the Military Selective Service Act and, for the first time, includes a requirement for women.
- The bill was authored by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
- It would remove any reference to “male” in current law.
OPPOSITION:
- Committee member Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tweeting Friday, “American women have heroically served in and alongside our fighting forces since our nation’s founding.” He added, “It’s one thing to allow American women to choose this service, but it’s quite another to force it upon our daughters, sisters, and wives. Missourians feel strongly that compelling women to fight our wars is wrong and so do I.”
- “Our military has welcomed women for decades and are stronger for it,” Sen. Cotton posted to Twitter on Friday. “But America’s daughters shouldn’t be drafted against their will. I opposed this amendment in committee, and I’ll work to remove it before the defense bill passes.”
REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED ‘NO’:
- Sen. James Inhofe (R-Ok.)
- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Ms.)
- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ar.)
- Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)
- Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED ‘YES’:
- Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Ne.)
- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Ia.)
- Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
- Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Ak.)
- Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.)
- Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fl.)
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tn.)
- Sem. Tommy Tuberville (R-Al.)
BACKGROUND:
- Male American citizens ages 18 to 26 are required to register for the draft.
- Since restrictions on women serving in combat arms were lifted in 2015, lawmakers have argued that they should need to register, according to Military.com.
