First appearance on FOXFormer Vice President Mike Pence’s group is urging Republican congressional leaders to block the advancement of a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require women to register for the draft.
“The idea that the United States would require women to register to serve in war is completely untenable and must be opposed at all costs,” Paul Teller, executive director of the American Association for the Advancement of Civil Liberties, said in a letter Wednesday to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).
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Mike Pence’s organization is calling on Republican leaders Mitch McConnell and Mike Johnson to block passage of an amendment that would require women to register for the draft. (Getty Images)
The Senate version of the NDAA passed the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, and includes an amendment to expand Selective Service registration requirements to include women.
“Without completely defying logic and ignoring common sense, there is no justification for requiring women to register for the draft,” Teller said.
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“We strongly oppose this move and urge you and all Republicans to oppose any bill that would require young women to register with the Selective Service Agency for possible future military service,” the letter continued.
The letter was signed by more than 40 other conservative organizations and leaders, including Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, and Gary Bauer, president of American Values.
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The proposed amendment would expand selective draft registration to women. (Anthony Wallace/AFP Getty Images)
The controversial provision was not included in an amended version of the NDAA that passed the Republican-led House last week. The bill, which is unlikely to be taken up by the Senate, would automatically register all men between the ages of 18 and 26 for the draft.
A spokesperson for Johnson told Fox News Digital that he would not support a provision to include women in any compromise bill that ultimately passes between the House and Senate.
Some Senate Republicans have opposed including the amendment in the 2025 NDAA, with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) writing to X, “Why would politicians force women to serve? Because Democrats want to exclude gender entirely and turn the military into a social experiment.”
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Hawley blasted the proposal. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Senator)
“Some Republicans want to draft as many men as they can to fight in these wars. My answer to both of those questions is no,” he added.
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah made his opposition clear last week, posting on the X website that the provision was “a dead letter.”
McConnell’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for comment.
McConnell has previously supported the idea. (Associated Press)
However, Senate Majority Leader Richardson has previously expressed support for expanding selective draft registration to women, and may differ with the AAF and Johnson on this issue.
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“personally, [women] “They should be able to register just like men,” McConnell was reported as saying in 2016. The New York Times.
“First of all, I don’t see us going back to conscription. We have a very successful professional volunteer Army. We’re talking here about selective service registration in case conscription is reintroduced,” he explained at the time.
In explaining his position, he noted that women currently “perform virtually every type of function” in the military.
