Starting in December, all eligible young men in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 26 will be automatically registered for the military draft pool.
The measure was included in the annual National Defense Authorization Act, the must-pass legislation that sets the Pentagon’s budget and policy agenda, which President Donald Trump signed into law last December. The automatic registration will apply to male U.S. citizens and "every other male person" in the country in that age range, including most immigrants.
▶️ Eligible US men to be automatically registered for draft starting in December
The nationwide measure has no connection to the ongoing war with Iran and was passed with bipartisan support months before the current conflict. However, the Trump administration has declined to rule out the possibility of putting U.S. troops on the ground, and the war has led to renewed attention on the draft policy.
For a century, men have been required to manually register with the Selective Service System, typically through a government website or at a local department of motor vehicles. Federal data shows this manual process has resulted in uneven compliance rates.
It is a felony to not register for selective service. Failing to register is a violation of the Military Selective Service Act, which could lead to imprisonment for up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. It can also result in the loss of certain benefits, like some student loans and federal jobs.
The U.S. has not executed a draft since February 1973, during the Vietnam War, when it shifted to an all-volunteer force.
Automatic registration is already conducted in some form in 46 states and territories. In Colorado, HB01-1284 stipulates that any male between 18 and 26 who applies for a driver’s license, learning permit or identification card will be registered with the Selective Service System.
The Selective Service System, which governs the draft pool, has an annual budget of $30 million, spending much of that on outreach and advertising campaigns. The agency estimates it will cost roughly $6 million to build the new automated platform.
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat who introduced the change alongside Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, discussed the new process in 2024.
"Saves taxpayers significant money and makes it easier for these men to follow the law and register with the Selective Service," Houlahan said.
The change follows years of debate on Capitol Hill over how, or whether, to reform draft registration. Lawmakers have been split, with some pushing to expand registration to include women, while others have argued the system should be scrapped entirely.
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