- Congress is debating reform of the conscription system.
- If the Senate proposal becomes law, some women would be required to register for the draft.
- The U.S. military is short 41,000 recruits in 2023, reflecting continuing challenges.
The U.S. military is struggling to attract Americans to serve in the military, and Congress is considering several options, including allowing women to serve.
On June 14, the House of Representatives passed its annual defense policy bill, which includes a bipartisan proposal to raise the upper draft age from 25 to 26. The last time the United States had a draft age was in 1973, during the Vietnam War. Currently, most American men between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register with the Selective Service Office.
On the same day, the Senate approved a bill that, if it becomes law, would require women to register for the draft.
The House and Senate proposals are unlikely to become law, in part because some Republicans are not on board with them. But as the U.S. military continues to face recruiting challenges and geopolitical risks persist around the world, Congress may continue to consider reforms to the U.S. conscription system, among other reforms that could increase the number of active-duty military personnel, The New York Times reported.
Overall, the U.S. military is about 41,000 short of its recruiting goal for 2023. A Pew Research Center poll conducted in January found that 43% of U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 have a favorable view of the U.S. military.
The debate in Congress over whether women should be included in the draft will continue at least until 2020, when a group of military experts Congress recommended the measure be enacted. The debate comes as the U.S. military has taken several steps over the past decade to improve gender equality within the military. As of 2016, women can serve in all military positions.
Not everyone in Congress is in favor of the proposal to include women in the draft.
“We need to face the reality,” Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri told Fox News. “Women should not be subject to the draft. Women should not be forced to serve if they don't want to.”
