Is this the year women have to apply for Selective Service?

Since its creation by Congress in 1917, the United States Selective Service has registered all men ages 18 through 25. But the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate Armed Services Committee and is headed to the Senate, is what a multi-year proposal: adding women to the draft eligibility requirement.

The NDAA authorizes funding levels and provides authority for the U.S. military and other critical defense priorities. On June 13, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 22-3 to advance the FY 2025 NDAA, a proposal that would allocate $923.3 billion in taxpayer dollars (and national loans from countries like Japan and China) for the defense of the country. The legislation authorizes $878.4 billion for the Department of Defense and $33.4 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy.

The Pentagon has not drafted anyone since the Vietnam War and there is currently no movement to create a draft; the country’s current armed forces consist of volunteer military personnel. There have been repeated attempts in recent years to add women to the draft, as recently as 2022. It was championed by Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a Democrat who graduated from West Point.

The summary of the bill can be found here:

In 2017, Congress created a commission to study the issue of adding women to the draft. The committee’s final report, required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, recommended drafting women.

“This is a necessary and fair step that allows us to tap the talent of a united nation in a time of national emergency,” the 11 commissioners wrote in their final report.

In previous years’ versions of the NDAA, this attempt failed, but this year it appears it will succeed.

Although the amendment to enroll women in the bill was offered by Senator Reed, he ultimately voted against the bill because of an amendment to increase overall spending, which was offered by Senator Roger Wicker, the committee’s top Republican. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, and Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, also voted against the spending bill.

Read the Selective Service history of legislation, lawsuits, and debates about women and the draft on this link.

The Senate version of the NDAA comes at the same time the House of Representatives passed the $883.7 billion version of the bill, which includes a number of Republican items, including an amendment banning funds for climate change executive orders and repealing of defense financing. The head of the department’s diversity office; eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion-related offices within the military; and instituting a hiring freeze on all jobs related to diversity, equality and inclusion.

The House version also includes an amendment banning drag shows and other drag-related events on military bases.

Read more about the details of the Senate version of the NDAA at BreakingDefense.com.