American Women Are One Step Closer To Registering For The Draft

Update: The Senate has approved a defense bill that would require women to register for the draft, according to CNN. The $602 billion National Defense Authorization Act passed the Senate on Tuesday night with a vote of 85 to 13, despite objections from some Republican lawmakers. "The idea that we should forcibly conscript young girls into combat, to my mind, makes little or no sense," said Texas senator and former presidential hopeful, Ted Cruz. Other legislators, though, supported the bill. Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and a Vietnam War veteran, called the proposal “simply fair.” However, the bill isn’t yet set in stone. Obama has threatened to veto the bill over issues like a ban on closing Guantanamo Bay and the allocation of funds to the military. This article was originally published on April 28, 2016. Is this the next frontier for gender equality? An amendment added to a defense bill Wednesday would require that women register for the draft. The House Armed Services Committee approved the change in language by a 32 to 30 vote. It will be included in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), The Hill explains. The move is being heralded by some representatives as a win for equality, while others have argued that the United States should get rid of the draft entirely. Rep. Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, told The Hill that she supports the draft. "If we want equality in this country, if we want women to be treated precisely like men are treated and that they should not be discriminated against, then we should support a universal conscription," Speier said. The full House of Representatives will consider the bill next month, The Associated Press reports. Under current requirements from the Selective Service System, men aged 18 to 26 are required to register for the draft.