This is an extremely controversial decision pushed by Democrats.
Senate Democrats have introduced a provision in the annual defense authorization bill requiring women to register for the draft, sparking a strong response from Republicans and social conservatives. This move complicates the bill’s passage in the Senate, especially before the upcoming Election Day.
Leading the opposition is Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), who, along with other conservatives, plans to push for the removal of this requirement. This creates a challenging situation for Democrats like Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who are facing tough reelection battles. The issue has already been highlighted in the Nevada Senate race by Republican candidate Sam Brown, an Army veteran injured by an IED, who criticized Rosen for her support of the draft requirement for women.
Brown, leveraging his military service and injuries, argued against the draft requirement in a video, stating, “This is the high cost of war,” and emphasizing that while he and his wife volunteered for service, forcing women to register for the draft is unacceptable. His message is clear: the draft should not include America’s daughters.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also condemned the provision as “insane,” accusing the Biden administration of pushing a woke agenda within the Pentagon. He firmly believes that women should not be compelled to serve in the military if they do not wish to and criticized Democrats for attempting to use the military for social experiments.
Hawley has been active in efforts to remove this language from the defense authorization bill in previous years. Similarly, a group associated with former Vice President Mike Pence, Advancing American Freedom, voiced strong opposition, urging Republican leaders to reject the idea of requiring women to register for the draft.
Sen. Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed his intent to eliminate the provision from the bill, emphasizing that the current focus should be on immediate and pressing defense issues rather than on a potential draft. He believes that such a debate is premature and distracts from more critical discussions.
On the other side, Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.) defended the inclusion of women in the draft, noting their significant contributions to the military. He argued that in a serious situation necessitating a draft, the nation would need all capable individuals, highlighting roles beyond front-line infantry, such as cyber experts and intelligence analysts, where women often excel.
The issue has bipartisan elements, with some Republicans supporting the idea of women registering for Selective Service. However, the intense opposition from many GOP members casts doubt on whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will bring the bill to the floor soon, especially with the limited legislative days left before the election.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) urged Schumer to expedite the bill’s passage, praising the Senate Armed Services Committee’s earlier work but criticizing senior Senate Democrats for seemingly not prioritizing national defense.
The requirement for women to register for the draft poses a political risk for Democrats, particularly in battleground states like Montana and Nevada. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, led by Steve Daines (R-Mont.), has already leveraged this issue in the past, advocating for its removal from the National Defense Authorization Act and emphasizing the voluntary nature of military service.