Women’s Military Draft: Bad Policy & Bad Politics

In December, a small group of courageous Republicans managed to kill a bipartisan effort to make women eligible for the military draft. The maneuver, led by conservatives such as Chip Roy (R., Texas) in the House and Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) in the Senate, was a surprise victory; a provision expanding the language of the Selective Service System from “all men” to “all Americans,” included in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), initially looked as if it would pass. But after a surge of last-minute opposition, Senator Hawley successfully inserted an amendment striking the language just before the legislation passed the Senate. Politico dubbed the move “a stunning turnaround.” Conservatives declared victory. “We have a calling to stand up for the people in this country,” Roy told National Review. “And that’s what I think we just showed you can do if you unite to do so.”

But this week, proponents of the provision are mounting another effort to draft America’s daughters. And shamefully, many Republicans are lending their support. On Wednesday, Politico’s Burgess Everett reported that an amendment to make women eligible for the draft in this year’s NDAA passed the Senate Armed Services Committee, with just six Republicans — Jim Inhofe, Mike Rounds, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Kevin Cramer, and Roger Wicker — voting “no.” That means that seven Republican senators — more than half of the 13 GOP members of the committee — voted yes:

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Nate Hochman

Nate Hochman was a staff writer at National Review.

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In December, a small group of courageous Republicans managed to kill a bipartisan effort to make women eligible for the military draft. The maneuver, led by conservatives such as Chip Roy (R., Texas) in the House and Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) in the Senate, was a surprise victory; a provision expanding the language of the Selective Service System from “all men” to “all Americans,” included in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), initially looked as if it would pass. But after a surge of last-minute opposition, Senator Hawley successfully inserted an amendment striking the language just before the legislation passed the Senate. Politico dubbed the move “a stunning turnaround.” Conservatives declared victory. “We have a calling to stand up for the people in this country,” Roy told National Review. “And that’s what I think we just showed you can do if you unite to do so.”

But this week, proponents of the provision are mounting another effort to draft America’s daughters. And shamefully, many Republicans are lending their support. On Wednesday, Politico’s Burgess Everett reported that an amendment to make women eligible for the draft in this year’s NDAA passed the Senate Armed Services Committee, with just six Republicans — Jim Inhofe, Mike Rounds, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, Kevin Cramer, and Roger Wicker — voting “no.” That means that seven Republican senators — more than half of the 13 GOP members of the committee — voted yes: