"To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes."

There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program’s initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 — just after the 2004 presidential election.

$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005.

Called the Universal National Service Act of 2003, it requires that persons age 18-26 (although there has also been some talk about extending the age to 34) in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.

A two-year minimum service period is proposed for all men and women.

Universal National Service Act of 2003 – HR163 text

Same text at the Senate – S 89 text

These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services.

The Pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld’s prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.

In December 2001, Canada and the U.S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, John Manley, and U.S. Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and departing each country.

Reforms aimed at making the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their current semester. Seniors would have until the end of the academic year.

See How the Draft Has Changed Since Vietnam

Mandatory registration for the draft was suspended in 1975 but was resumed in 1980 by President Carter after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. About 13.5 million men, ages 18 to 25, currently are registered with the Selective Service.

Follow the news on this issue – see Disinfopedia

Death has a tendency to encourage a depressing view of war.
– Donald Rumsfeld

Prepare to sacrifice your children.

On the other hand, one of the cosposors of the bill, Congressman Pete Stark has given a good argument from the anti-war side. He notes that a universal draft might "make votes for war much more real for many of my colleagues." Out of the 435 Members of this House and the 100 members of the Senate, only one has a child in active military service.

Check out the Top Ten Censored Stories of 2003 at Project Censored