Senate Democrats Push For Female Draft Registration As War Drums Grow Louder
Senate Democrats are facing backlash for proposing that women be required to register for the draft. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have included this provision in the annual defense authorization bill, as reported by The Hill.
The proposal has sparked intense criticism from Republicans and conservatives. Critics argue that the timing is politically motivated, as both Tester and Rosen face challenging reelection campaigns. Rosen’s opponent, Sam Brown, an Army combat veteran, has already made it a campaign issue. “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,” Brown tweeted. Brown was severely injured by an IED explosion in Afghanistan.
Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), have vowed to remove the provision. “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,” Wicker stated. He expressed hope that the provision would be dropped either during floor debates or in conference.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) called the proposal “insane,” telling Fox News, “There shouldn’t be women in the draft. They shouldn’t be forced to serve if they don’t want to. Normal people are like, ‘Leave our daughters alone.’” Hawley has previously fought to remove similar language from defense bills.
Conversely, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, supports the proposal. He argues that modern military needs extend beyond front-line combat roles and that many women possess skills critical to the military, such as cyber expertise, intelligence analysis, and linguistics. “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,” Reed said.
The debate reflects broader cultural and political divides over the role of women in the military. Former Vice President Mike Pence’s group, Advancing American Freedom, sent a letter to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), urging opposition to the draft provision. “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,” the letter stated.
Despite this, McConnell has urged Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to bring the defense bill, including the female draft provisions, to the floor “without delay,” without expressing concerns over the controversial language. McConnell accused senior Senate Democrats of not taking national defense requirements seriously.
The number of legislative days available before the election is limited, casting doubt on whether the bill will reach the floor soon. “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.