Women may soon be required to sign up for the military draft if the Senate passes a Democrat-backed provision.
In September, the House of Representatives passed the Democrat version of the National Authorization Act (NDAA), requiring women to register for the Select Service draft.
The draft was introduced by Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), who said, “women have constantly had to fight for a level playing field — and this change is a step in the right direction.”
No one has been drafted since 1973; however, all men in the United States have been required to register for the draft since the mandate was put into place in 1980. The Supreme Court one year later held that women could not register for the draft because they were not eligible for combat roles within the military.
Combat roles opened up for women in 2015. This change in military policy was not reflected in the Selective Service System as women are currently not required to register.
Americans mostly disapprove of requiring women to register for the draft. An Ipsos poll found that 45 percent of Americans favor enrolling women in the draft.
Even though there is no popular support for this proposition, many Democrat politicians support this idea.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) told Axios, “so much of the trajectory for women in the armed services is based on what experience they’re able to accrue, particularly combat experience.” “It makes sense to that me that everyone should be eligible for Selective Service,” she added.
Many Republicans are opposed to the Democrats’ effort to require women to register for the draft. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is leading a Senate amendment that would strip the draft provision from the NDAA. Close to a dozen Republican senators have aided Hawley’s efforts for various reasons, such as women’s safety or national security implications.
Senate Republicans opposed to the idea find themselves aligned with unusual allies from the far-left wing of the Democrat Party. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) voted against the 2022 NDAA when it was presented before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) spoke out against the idea on Twitter, saying, “Our military has welcomed women for decades and are stronger for it, but America’s daughters shouldn’t be drafted against their will.”
Currently, the Senate is considering the 2022 NDAA, and it is expected a decision on the draft provision will come before December 11, when Congress goes into recess.