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Subject:Mandatory Draft for June, '05
Mandatory draft for boys and girls (ages 18-26) startingJune 15, 2005, is
something that everyone should know about. This literally effects everyone
since we all have or know children that will have to go if this bill passes.
There is pending legislation in the house and
senate (companion bills: S89 and HR 163) which will time the program's
initiation so the draft can begin as early as
spring, 2005, just after the 2004 presidential election. The
administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the
public's attention is on the elections, so our action on this is needed
immediately. Details and links follow.
This plan, among other things, eliminates higher education as a shelter and
includes women in the draft. Also, crossing into Canada has already been
made very difficult.
Actions:
Please send this on to all the parents and teachers you know, and all the
aunts and uncles, grandparents, godparents. . . And let your children
know - - it's their future, and they can be a powerful voice for change!
This legislation is called HR 163 and can be found in detail at this
website: http://thomas.loc.gov/
Just enter in "HR 163" and click search and will bring up the bill for you
to read. It is less than two pages long.
If this bill passes, it will include all men and ALL WOMEN from ages 18 - 26
in a draft for military action. In addition, college will no longer be an
option for avoiding the draft and they will be signing an agreement with the
Canada which will no longer permit anyone attempting to dodge the draft to
stay within it's borders. This bill also includes the extension of military
service for all those that are currently active. If you go to the selcet
service web site and read their 2004 FYI Goals you will see that the
reasoning for this is to increase the size of the military in case of
terrorism. This is a critical piece of legislation, this will effect our
undergradates, our children and our grandchildren.
Please take the time to write your congressman and let them know how you
feel about this legislation.
www.house.gov
www.senate.gov
Please also write to your representativesand ask them why they aren't
telling their constituents about these bills and write to newspapers and
other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important
story.
The draft $28 million has been added to the 2004 selective service system
budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15,
2005. Selective service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the
system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation.
Please seewww.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the Selective Service
System annual performance plan, fiscal year 2004.
The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft
board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.
Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and
influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction
of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan (and permanent state of war
on terrorism) proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.
www.hslda.org/legislation/national/2003/s89/default.aspentitled
the
Universal National service Act of 2003, "to provide for the common defense
by requiring that all young persons (age 18-26) in the United States,
including women, perform a period of military service or a period of
civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland
security, and for other purposes." These active s
currently sit in the committee on armed services. Dodging the draft will be
more difficult than those from the Vietnam era.College and Canada will not
be options. In December, 200 1, Canada and the U.S. signed a "smart border
declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed
by Canada's minister of foreign affairs, John Manley, and U.S. Homeland
Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30 point plan which
implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people
entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft more
equitable along
gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter.
Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their
current semester. Seniors would have until the end of the academic year.
What to do:
Tell your friends, Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose these
bills.
Alternate access site - contact info for your elected reps:
http://www.firstgov.org
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