There are no clear lines between what Republicans and Democrats want when it comes to requiring women between the ages of 18 and 26 to register for the Selective Service. Republicans voted 135 and Democrats voted 181 in favor of Section 513 of the 2022 Department of Defense Authorization Act. This section makes registration a requirement with penalties associated for an intentional failure to register.
On September 23, 2021, House bill 4350, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, was voted on favorably. Section 513 of this bill, titled “Modernization of the Selective Service System,” replaces all terms referring to “men” or “males” with the generic term “person” or “persons”, the result of which opens the requirement to register with the Selective Service System to every “person”—male and female—within the ages of 18 to 26. There are no exceptions!
The purported purposes are to ensure equality among the genders and to “ensure adequate personnel with the requisite capabilities to meet the mobilization needs of the Department of Defense during a national emergency and not solely to provide combat replacements.”
Using current language, if required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment. Also, anyone who knowingly counsels, aids, or abets another to fail to comply with the registration requirement is subject to the same penalties. Unless a man provides proof that he is exempt from the registration requirement, his failure to register will result in referral to the Department of Justice for possible investigation and prosecution. Moreover, other benefits will not be available to the individual failing to register such as, he may be ineligible for state-funded student financial aid, most federal employment, some state employment, security clearance for contractors, job training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (formerly known as the Workforce Investment Act), and U.S. citizenship for immigrant men.
A man must be registered to be eligible for jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and the U.S. Postal Service. Proof of registration is required only for men born after December 31, 1959. See https://www.sss.gov/register/benefits-and-penalties/. In North Carolina, a man failing to register with the Selective Service System is not eligible for a driver’s license.
“Roll Call” reports that of the North Carolina Republican representatives in the House, the following voted “yes” to the bill:
- Cawthorn
- Foxx
- Rouzer
- Murphy
- McHenry and
- Hudson.
Representative Budd was the only one who voted “no.”
A similar provision was included within the 2017 bill, but did not make it into the final version that was passed. Said Jackie Spier (D-CA) –
“I actually think if we want equality in this country, if we want women to be treated precisely like men are treated and that they should not be discriminated against, we should be willing to support a universal conscription.”
A Federal judge in Texas ruled that a requirement that only men were eligible to register with the Selective Service was unconstitutional. See National Coalition for Men, et al., v. Selective Service System, et. al. (Civil action H-16-3362, United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, 2/22/2019). The judge ruled that such discrimination had to support a governmental purpose and none was presented.
On September 22, 2021, Senator Reed (D-RI) introduced the Senate’s version of the NDAA for 2022 - S.2792. Within S. 2792, the requirement for women to register for with the Selective Service is in Section 511. Its text appears identical to that within Section 513 of House Bill 4350.
Said Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) to all the Democrats and Republicans who voted for the requirement: “All of DC — all of it — can go straight to hell.”
Currently, the following four (4) countries draft women into the military: Israel, Norway, North Korea, and Bolivia. See the following for more information: 4 Countries With Mandatory Military Service for Men and Women Politics - ENTITY (entitymag.com).
I hope this is of value!
Demetria Carter