PRINTER'S NO. 686
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.84
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GIRAL, SANCHEZ, HILL-EVANS, GUENST AND GREEN,
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to amend the Military
Selective Service Act to require both men and women to
register for the draft.
WHEREAS, Women served the United States Army during the
American Revolution by nursing ill and wounded soldiers, mending
clothing and cooking for the troops; and
WHEREAS, Women have served the United States Armed Forces in
some capacity during every military conflict in our nation's
history; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the recognized role of women in the
armed forces during every military conflict, women have had de
facto involvement in combat situations while being officially
banned from combat; and
WHEREAS, For most of the early history of the United States
military, women primarily served in clerical or military medical
support services roles; and
WHEREAS, Women's formal military service began when the
Congress of the United States established the Army Nurse Corps
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18 in 1901 and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908; and
WHEREAS, World War II compelled the Congress of the United
States to provide for additional, extremely limited service
roles due to the urgent need for personnel; and
WHEREAS, In the latter half of the 20th century, social
change spurring the end of the military draft and the beginning
of an all-volunteer force, along with the equal rights movement,
led to increased integration of the United States Armed Forces;
and
WHEREAS, In more than a decade of war in Iraq and
Afghanistan, approximately 300,000 women served with courage,
skill and patriotism; and
WHEREAS, More than 1,000 women were injured and 166 women in
uniform died while serving the United States in Iraq and
Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, Women currently make up 17.5% of the active-duty
personnel in the United States Armed Forces; and
WHEREAS, Women are integral to the ability of the Department
of Defense to fulfill its mission; and
WHEREAS, The United States Secretary of Defense announced the
end of the direct ground combat exclusion rule for female
service members in January 2013 following a unanimous
recommendation by the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and
WHEREAS, The end of the rule opened approximately 237,000
positions to women, including 184,000 combat arms professions
and 53,000 assignments that had been closed based on unit type,
and has ensured that the most qualified and most capable service
members are eligible to carry out the mission regardless of sex;
and
WHEREAS, The Secretary of Defense directed that military
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30 service branches evaluate all occupational performance standards
accordingly, as part of a plan to eliminate unnecessary barriers
to service, and since January 2016, women have been eligible for
all military occupations and positions, without exception; and
WHEREAS, The Military Selective Service Act, 50 U.S.C. ยง 3801
et. seq., requires every male citizen of the United States and
every male residing in the United States between 18 and 26 years
of age to register with the Selective Service System; and
WHEREAS, Full equity for women in the United States Armed
Forces should begin with gender-neutral Selective Service System
registration; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
States to amend the Military Selective Service Act to require
all individuals between 18 and 26 years of age to register for
the draft; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, the presiding officers of
each house of Congress and each member of Congress from
Pennsylvania.
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