If some congressional Democrats have their way, American women will be forced to register for the country’s Selective Service draft.
Breitbart reports that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that the Democrat-led House passed in September includes a provision that would do just this: force women to sign up for the draft.
The provision is being spearheaded by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA).
Background
In the United States, males between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register for the military draft. This mandatory registration was something that Congress enacted in 1980. But, the United States hasn’t drafted anyone for military service since 1973.
At the time that Congress made registration for the draft mandatory for men, there were some questions about whether women should have to register as well. In 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court, however, ruled that, because they are not eligible for combat roles within the military, women cannot register for the draft.
Now, as we know, a lot has changed since the early 1980s. Women have taken on a more active role in the military, and combat roles are now open to women, a change that took place in 2015. Yet, despite the fact that the Supreme Court’s reasoning no longer applies, women have still not been required to register for the draft.
This is what Houlahan is looking to change.
Houlahan explained the motivation behind the provision that she added to the NDAA, saying, “women have constantly had to fight for a level playing field — and this change is a step in the right direction.”
The response
Houlahan is far from the only congressional Democrat to support the idea of forcing women to sign up for the draft. But, not all Democrats are on board, including some far-left Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
On top of this, many congressional Republicans are against the idea. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), for example, tweeted, “Our military has welcomed women for decades and are stronger for it, but America’s daughters shouldn’t be drafted against their will.” And, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is actually drafting an amendment to the NDAA that would eliminate Houlahan’s provision.
On top of this, polls have found that Americans, in general, are against the idea of forcing women to sign up for the draft. One poll from Ipsos found that only 45 percent of Americans support the idea.
The Senate is currently considering the NDAA that was passed by the House. It seems likely that some amendments will be made. It is unclear whether the Senate’s version of the NDAA will include Houlahan’s provision.
The post Dems. are looking to force women to sign up for the draft first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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