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Women
Aren't Required to Register
Here's
why:
THE
LAW
Selective Service law as it's written now refers specifically
to "male persons" in stating who must register and
who would be drafted. For women to be required to register
with Selective Service, Congress would have to amend the law.
THE
SUPREME COURT
The constitutionality of excluding women was tested in
the courts. A Supreme Court decision in 1981,
Rostker
v. Goldberg, held that registering only men did not
violate the due process clause of the Constitution.
DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE
At President Clinton's request, the Department
of Defense reviewed this issue in 1994. DoD noted that
America's prior drafts were used to supply adequate numbers
of Army ground combat troops. Because women are excluded by
policy from front line combat positions, excluding them from
the draft process remains justifiable in DoD's view. Although
no conclusions were reached, DoD recognized that policies
regarding women need to be reviewed periodically because the
role of women in the military continues to expand.
The
Selective Service System, if given the mission and additional
funding, is capable of registering and drafting women with
its existing infrastructure.
(A
backgrounder on Women and the Draft
is available at this site.)
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