[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 110 (Monday, September 18, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H7700-H7701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING IMPORTANCE OF SELECTIVE SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KUYKENDALL. Mr. Speaker, for many of us about my age, when you 
turned 18 you went off and registered for the draft. I happen to have 
come of age during the Vietnam War, so it was very controversial. But 
last Thursday, I introduced House Concurrent Resolution 402, which 
recognizes the importance of the Selective Service System on the 
occasion of its 60th anniversary of a peacetime military registration 
effort.
  It was first passed on September 16, 1940. I believe that willingness 
and tradition of America's citizens to defend not only their homeland, 
but also the very precept of freedom throughout the world, is the 
cornerstone of what makes America the greatest Nation on Earth.
  The Selective Service System serves as a reminder to many in the 
world that America's young men stand ready to continue in the tradition 
of protecting democracy. As a result of the Vietnam era draft, some 
feel we should abolish it. Others feel we should not fund it during 
times of peace. And with all due respect to those Members, I disagree 
with them.
  But the bill that I introduced is not anything to do with those two 
controversial subjects. The bill seeks to honor America's Selective 
Service System and recognize the historical role it played in America's 
history, especially during the past 60 years.
  But before that last 60 years, what was the history of the draft in 
America? It began in the Civil War, and during that time, we 
conscripted people, and the way you got out of it was you provided a 
replacement. You had to go find someone to stand in your stead. It 
ended after the Civil War.
  Again, when America went to war in World War I, we passed the 
Selective Service Act of 1917, and it provided for a general 
conscription. We even had a clause in that one, for the first time, 
that talked about exemptions for conscientious objectors. By the time 
the war ended, we had inducted 2.8 million men.
  Then, during World War II, we bring ourselves to the time that we end 
up recognizing the anniversary of, that the Selective Training and 
Service Act of 1940 established the first peacetime, I stress 
peacetime, conscription; and it was in response to all the tension in 
the world at that time. You could imagine, we had had Germany recently 
invade Poland; the Japanese were on the march in the Pacific.
  The service obligation was originally 12 months. It was quickly 
changed to 18 months in 1941. By the end of that war, we had 
conscripted over 10 million men, and the world had been made peaceful 
again.
  Following that, in 1948, we continued conscription; and we continued 
registration, and we said anyone between the ages of 18 and 26 be 
available for service as we then entered that era of the Cold War.

[[Page H7701]]

  In 1948, we replaced the old draft with the Universal Military 
Training and Service Act. A few years after that, we replaced it again 
with the Reserve Forces Act of 1955. At that time you were required 6 
years' service between your active and reserve time.
  Then came Vietnam. In 1967, we passed the Military Selective Service 
Act. That war had such controversy and had such venom throughout our 
Nation that we ended up with the discontinuation of the draft in 1973. 
Inductions were stopped, they were not renewed by Congress, and we 
favored an all-voluntary military force. However, registration was 
still required.
  By 1975, we even suspended registration, so men who were only a few 
years younger than myself found themselves in an era of not even having 
to register. However, 5 short years later, Congress reinstated draft 
registration requirements for men between the ages of 18 and 26.
  Our modern Selective Service System that we have today must be 
authorized by Congress to induct people and the President must order a 
return to the draft. The system today is for registration. We merely 
maintain the rolls. It is a lottery. It still would be used by drawing 
your name out of a hat based on your date of birth, and young men would 
be drafted with certain age groups.
  Finally, local draft boards that are representative of the 
demographics and ethnic makeup of your community are those who can 
draft you. Many people, myself included, have served as a member of 
these local draft boards. We have done so in a standby cadre status 
because we do not draft anyone today.
  Since Vietnam, we have been very fortunate concerning combat 
casualties, especially given the deadly nature of weapons employed on 
today's battlefields. However, should America find itself at war with a 
capable and determined foe, casualty rates will likely increase 
significantly and a mechanism that provides replacements in a timely 
manner will be necessary. The Selective Service System is that 
mechanism.
  I urge all that have the opportunity to counsel America's young men, 
to register with Selective Service. It is an important responsibility 
of men between the age of 18 and 26.
  The proponents of this amendment would have us believe that 
maintaining a Selective Service System is a waste of taxpayer 
resources. The cost of rebuilding the Selective Service System from 
scratch, in both dollars and time, far outweigh the costs associated 
with funding the current system.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to defeat this amendment. Rarely do 
we have unanimous support from the administration, Joint Chiefs, 
service secretaries, and veteran service organizations across the 
country for a program. They all agree that we need the Selective 
Service System should America ever require its capabilities. Vote no on 
this amendment.
  Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 402 recognizes the 60th 
anniversary of the Selective Service System and the critical role it 
has played in protecting democracy. I urge its passage.

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