
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has expressed strong opposition to a provision in the proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2025 that would require women to register with Selective Service. According to the Senate Committee on Armed Services’ executive summary, the NDAA aims to amend the Military Selective Service Act to include women, and the Committee voted 22-3 to advance the NDAA to the Senate floor.
Currently, only men aged 18 through 25 are required to register with Selective Service. The agency’s mission is “to register men and maintain a system that, when authorized by the President and Congress, rapidly provides personnel in a fair and equitable manner while managing an alternative-service program for conscientious objectors.”
Rep. Roy voiced his strong opposition to this provision, tweeting, “You can go straight to hell. Over my dead body.” His firm stance highlights the contentious nature of expanding Selective Service registration to women.
On Friday, the House passed its version of the NDAA, which includes a provision for the automatic registration of men with Selective Service. This amendment to the Military Selective Service Act states that every male citizen and male resident in the United States between the ages of 18 and 26 shall be automatically registered.
Despite his opposition to the Senate’s provision, Roy was among the 211 House Republicans who voted in favor of the House-passed NDAA. The debate over including women in Selective Service registration continues, with significant implications for gender equality and military preparedness in the United States.
As the legislative process moves forward, this provision will likely remain a focal point of discussion, reflecting broader societal debates about the roles and responsibilities of men and women in national defense.