Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) wants all Americans to serve their government, including women. On Friday he introduced one bill that would reinstate the draft and another that would require all women to register for Selective Service as well.
Rangel introduced the The National Universal Service Act (H.R. 747) for the sixth time since first being proposed in 2003 during the Iraq war. H.R 747 "would require 30 million people in the United States between the ages of 18 and 25 to perform two years of national service in either the armed services or in civilian life."
Rangel also introduced the All American Selective Service Act (H.R. 748) which requires all women to enroll in the Selective Service System. This would essentially double the number of registrants. The current law requires only men ages 18 to 25 to register, leaving approximately only 13.5 million in the registry.
"Now that women can serve in combat they should register for the Selective Service alongside their male counterparts," said Rangel in a statement. "Reinstating the draft and requiring women to register for the Selective Service would compel the American public to have a stake in the wars we fight as a nation. We must question why and how we go to war, and who decides to send our men and women into harm's way."