Just six months after Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter stated that the Pentagon would be opening all military combat jobs to women, the Senate approved a vast version of the military policy bill that included a requirement that any woman turning 18 on or after January, 2018 will have to enlist in our nation’s draft. Surprisingly the bill had strong support from both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, yet was strongly opposed by larger religious groups and extreme conservatives such as Senator Ted Cruz of Texas who stated;
“The idea that we should forcibly conscript young girls in combat to my mind makes little sense at all.”
The change was thought to be inevitable, especially after lifting the ban on combat related jobs for women in the armed services.
Nora Bensahel, a military policy analyst at American University stated;
“I think the change is inevitable. Whether in this debate or through the courts. It just seems that now that you have women allowed to serve in any position in the military, there is no logical basis to say women should not be drafted.”
Concerns over women’s psychological and physiological difference from men are the strongest argument by opposing forces. However, support for the passing of this bill runs deep inside and outside of the Senate.
Though the draft has not been enacted since the 70’s, pressure to secure a solid military force increases daily as national disasters and terrorist attacks increase in this country. It is currently required for young men ages 18-25 to be registered in the draft. Refusing to register can result in the ability to be ineligible for federal jobs and federal aid such as the Pell Grant. If passed, The National Defense Authorization Act would put the same stipulations on women of the same age group.
Two versions of the bill will be reconciled between the Senate and the House, one including the draft and one without. President Obama is considering a veto on the bill when it reaches his desk, not due to the draft, but due to the amendment that would keep Guantanamo Bay open even after years of alleged controversial treatment of inmates. Which bill will be passed is yet to be determined, but due to the overwhelming support, the White House looks to have a battle on their hands to get rid of the bill.
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