Applying the draft to women has long been a taboo subject among American politicians, but some Senate Democrats are now advocating that.
Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) inserted language into the annual defense authorization bill to require women to register for the draft, according to The Hill.
The two Democrats have come under intense fire from Republicans and conservatives for pushing this into the legislation.
Critics say that the senators from Montana and Nevada and other Democrats supporting the provision are currently facing tight reelection races, which could make their actions an issue in their states.
Rosen’s Republican opponent, Sam Brown, an Army combat veteran, has already made it an issue for his Nevada Senate race.
“Look at my face. This is the high cost of war. Amy and I volunteered to serve, and we honor all who serve. But forcing America’s daughters to register for the draft is UNACCEPTABLE. Shame on Jacky Rosen,” said Brown in a tweet.
Look at my face. This is the high cost of war.
Amy and I volunteered to serve, and we honor all who serve. But forcing America’s daughters to register for the draft is UNACCEPTABLE.
Shame on Jacky Rosen. pic.twitter.com/Myry82U2cl
— Sam Brown (@CaptainSamBrown) June 15, 2024
Brown was severely burned by an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), promised to remove the provision requiring women to register for the draft.
“I’m opposed to that. I don’t think this is the time to get into a debate on the floor of either house about that. We’re not anywhere near implementing a draft, and to me it’s a distraction when we need to be talking about real issues that are immediate,” said Wicker, adding “I hope it will fall out, either on the floor or in conference.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), himself a veteran, told Fox News that the provision was “insane” and that “There shouldn’t be women in the draft. They shouldn’t be forced to serve if they don’t want to.”
He added, “Normal people are like, ‘Leave our daughters alone.’”
Hawley has fought to remove language in previous defense authorization bills requiring women to register for the draft.
The senator from Missouri further accused Democrats of trying to turn the military into a social experiment by forcing it to institute a woke agenda.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed (D-R.I.), told The Hill that he fully supported requiring women to register for the draft.
He claimed that with modern technology, women can be combat-capable without having to serve on the front lines.
“It’s not like World War II, where we need a lot of infantry. We need cyber experts, we need intelligence analysts, linguists, etc. Wait a second, there are a lot of women out there that can do this better than men,” Reed said.
“Women are doing a remarkable job in our forces today, and if we were in a situation requiring a draft, I think we would need all able-bodied citizens 18 and above,” he said, adding, “If we go to a draft, that means we’re in a serious, serious situation.”
He said that the pushback against the new language in the military legislation “just doesn’t make any sense.”
The Hill reported that Advancing American Freedom, a group affiliated with former Vice President Mike Pence, sent a letter on June 19 to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), urging support for its view that “the notion of the United States of America requiring women to register to fight our wars is simply untenable and must be opposed at all costs.”
However, McConnell has urged his counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), to bring the defense bill with the female draft provisions to the floor “without delay,” without mentioning any concerns about the controversial new language.
McConnell said he believes that the Democrats may delay bringing the military bill to the floor, accusing “senior Senate Democrats” of shattering any expectations that they are “ready to start taking the requirements of the national defense seriously.”
The Hill reported that Many Senate Republicans doubt Schumer will bring the bill to the floor anytime soon.
The number of available days on the congressional calendar for the legislation to be passed before the election is dwindling.
“I do hope we get to the floor. It’s very important we have this debate publicly… I hear rumblings that the Democratic leader may not bring it to the floor. I hope that can be reversed,” Wicker said.