In a press release, Rangel summarized that the bill would reinstate a compulsory military draft, or alternative national service, during times of war, for men and women who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
“What troubles me most about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is the total indifference to the suffering and loss of life among our brave young soldiers on the battlefield,” Rangel said. “If you support the war, you should support a compulsory military draft.”
The way it is written, individuals may be inducted to perform military service only if a declaration of war is in effect, or if the president declares a national emergency necessitating the induction of persons to perform military service and immediately informs Congress of the reasons for the declaration. National service is defined in the bill as either “military or civilian service as defined by the president that promotes national or homeland security.”
HR 5741 also gives the president the authority to establish the numbers of persons to be selected for military service and the means of selection and requires those not selected for military service to perform their national service obligation in a civilian capacity for a period of two years. Deferments for education are only permitted through completion of high school, to a maximum of two years, and may only be made for physical or mental disability, or under conscientious objector claims.
“The 3.3 million military households, representing only one percent of American families, have become a virtual military class who are unfairly carrying the burden of war,” Rangel said. “If there were a draft, there would be no shortage of troops to fill the ranks without repeatedly deploying the same exhausted troops over and over.”
The bill, which Rangel first introduced in 2003, has never passed. The congressman reintroduced the bill in 2004, 2006 and 2007. –torrance stephens, ph.d.
