Washington, D.C. -  U.S. Representative Tim Johnson announced that yesterday the House defeated a bill that would have reinstated the military draft.  H.R. 163 was introduced by Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) on January 7, 2003 and would have required every U.S. citizen, and every other person residing in the United States, between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a two-year period of national service, unless exempted, either as a member of an active or reserve component of the armed forces or in a civilian capacity that promotes national defense. 

“I, in no way, in good consciousness, could ever fathom voting in favor of a bill to reinstate the military draft.  The chief sponsor of the bill, Representative Rangel, even voted against the bill, which should show us how bad of an idea this was,” Johnson stated.  “The final vote of 2-402 is the worst defeat of a bill I have seen since I have been in Congress and just goes to show this bill was introduced for political reasons.  The fact that my colleagues would use the proud sacrifice that so many of our men and women are making right now for political reasons is appalling and it was a joy to see this legislation receive the reception it did yesterday on the House floor.”

H.R. 163, the Universal National Service Act, was defeated on October 5, 2004 by a vote of 2-402.

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