Automatic Draft Registration Moves Forward, Tying Men to a Broader Federal Database
The Selective Service System plans to auto-register 18–25-year-old men by December 2026, replacing the current self-registration process to boost compliance and feed a broader federal database network. Congress would still need to authorize any actual reintroduction of conscription, and the plan requires coordination with agencies like the SSA and Census Bureau. The move is framed as a manpower tool amid geopolitical considerations, following a long history that ended the draft in 1973 and longstanding resistance to compulsory service.