| Congress has been considering reinstating the draft as early as spring 2005. |
| There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program's initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 -- just after the 2004 presidential election. The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the elections. $28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. Selective Service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation. The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Congress brought twin bills, S. 89 and HR 163 forward this year, entitled the Universal National Service Act of 2003, "to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services. Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam era. College and Canada will not be options. In December 2001, Canada and the U.S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's minister of foreign affairs, John Manley, and U.S. Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their current semester. Seniors would have until the end of the academic year. Source: Congress.org by Congress Watch - "Pending Draft Legislation Targeted for Spring 2005 - The Draft will Start in June 2005" |
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| Comments | Contributor | Date Submitted |
| "The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the elections." What a load of crap. These are DEMOCRAT sponsered bills. The "administration" has nothing to do with them and has publically stated that. In fact, neither of these two bills are going anywhere. They are dead in the water as they should be. But please... call up Charlie Rengal and the rest of the Democrats that sponsored them if you are truly concerned about them. LOL | 9/22/2004 | |
| Don't be so sure the bills to reinstate the draft are dead; the election is over and Bush doesn't have to worry about not getting re-elected. The administration is using a "back door draft." Members of the military are being told they have to keep serving, even if their agreed to time of service is up. The only way out is by having bits of you blown off, or in a body bag. | 12/10/2004 | |
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