Director, Commonwealth Policy Center

What if your daughter received a notice from the federal government on her 18th birthday that she must sign up to make herself available to the draft? Well, that's no longer a hypothetical as a measure in Congress was narrowly defeated to prevent that reality, at least for now.  A provision in the defense authorization bill that would have essentially required women to be subject to the draft. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, called the move reckless. “I have the utmost respect and deepest appreciation for the young women who bravely volunteer to serve our country, but I am adamantly opposed to coercing America’s daughters to sign up for the Selective Service at 18 years of age,” Sessions said in a statement. The second highest ranking Democrat in the House, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) derided the move and accused Republicans  of denying equal rights to women. He said the move was in order to avoid subjecting “their members to a vote on equality for women, and they ought to.”  The debate now moves to the Senate, where a similar requirement for women exists within its defense policy bill.