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PRINTER'S NO. 3621
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
944
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, SCHLOSSBERG, WATSON AND
DONATUCCI, JUNE 27, 2016
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, JUNE 27, 2016
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, 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 their recognized role 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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in 1901 and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908; and
WHEREAS, World War II compelled Congress to provide for
additional, extremely limited service roles due to the urgent
need for manpower; 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 as well as 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, more than 225,000 women have served with courage,
skill and patriotism; and
WHEREAS, One hundred fifty-two women in uniform have died
while serving our nation; and
WHEREAS, Women currently make up more than 15% 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, That decision opens up approximately 237,000
positions to women, including 184,000 in combat arms professions
and 53,000 assignments that were closed based on unit type, and
ensures that the most qualified and most capable service members
are available to carry out the mission regardless of gender; and
WHEREAS, The Secretary of Defense has further directed that
military service branches evaluate all occupational performance
standards to ensure that the standards are up-to-date and
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gender-neutral as part of a plan to eliminate unnecessary
gender-based barriers to service; and
WHEREAS, Upon full implementation of the policy, military
occupations will be closed to women only by exception and only
if approved by the Secretary of Defense; and
WHEREAS, The Military Selective Service Act requires every
male citizen of the United States and every other male person
residing in the United States between 18 and 26 years of age to
register with the Selective Service; and
WHEREAS, Full equality for women in the United States Armed
Forces should begin with gender-neutral military selective
service registration; and
WHEREAS, Gender-neutral selective service, one of the few
subjects in the current polarized political climate having
bipartisan congressional support, is included in a defense
authorization bill under consideration; 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
both men and women to register for the draft; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the
President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
each house of Congress and to each member of Congress from
Pennsylvania.
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