Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) led colleagues in opposing any potential language in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require American women to register for the Selective Service System. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) joined in opposition.
“For the third time in four years, Democrats are attempting to force women into the draft. Let’s be clear: American women have a proud legacy of service in our Armed Forces, especially so because their service has always been voluntary. Never in our history have women been forced to register for the draft. Yet the Biden administration and Senate Democrats want to discard this longstanding tradition and force women to fight in wars against their own will,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Representative Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), chairman of the House Armed Services committee.
The senators continued, “President Trump ran in part on a platform of avoiding World War III and ending the progressive policies infecting our military. The American people gave him a resounding electoral mandate. The Senate should prioritize America’s national security instead of turning defense legislation into a tool of liberal social policy.”
For years, Senator Hawley has successfully led the fight to stop the left from forcing women to register for the draft.
Read the full letter here or below.
December 5, 2024
The Honorable Jack Reed The Honorable Mike Rogers
Chairman Chairman
Senate Committee on Armed Services House Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate United States House of Representatives
728 Hart Senate Office Building 2469 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Reed and Chairman Rogers,
We write in strong opposition to the provision in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) forcing American women to register for the Selective Service System (SSS).
For the third time in four years, Democrats are attempting to force women into the draft. Let’s be clear: American women have a proud legacy of service in our Armed Forces, especially so because their service has always been voluntary. Never in our history have women been forced to register for the draft. Yet the Biden administration and Senate Democrats want to discard this longstanding tradition and force women to fight in wars against their own will.
America’s daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers can decide to join the military themselves. President Trump ran in part on a platform of avoiding World War III and ending the progressive policies infecting our military. The American people gave him a resounding electoral mandate. The Senate should prioritize America’s national security instead of turning defense legislation into a tool of liberal social policy.
As the FY25 NDAA process continues, we strongly urge you to remove the provision in the Senate-version of the NDAA compelling women to register for SSS. Americans rejected social progressivism in 2024, and NDAA conferees should take this lesson to heart.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator
Tom Cotton
United States Senator
Ted Cruz
United States Senator
Steve Daines
United States Senator
James Lankford
United States Senator
Mike Lee
United States Senator
Roger Marshall, M.D.
United States Senator
Eric Schmitt
United States Senator
