Setting the Record Straight on the Draft
COLUMBUS – Congresswoman Deborah
Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) today issued the following editorial:
“The internet has unquestionably
forever changed our world. Today, a universe of information is available
at our fingertips, and email has profoundly changed how we communicate
with friends, family, and coworkers. In the world of politics, the
internet offers the ordinary voter information from thousands of
additional and alternative news sources, media outlets, and advocacy
groups, exposing him or her to libraries of information never available
to the voter of two decades ago.
However, as most savvy web surfers
know, the internet can also be a breeding ground for misinformation and,
in some instances, deliberate attempts to mischaracterize a candidate or
discredit an issue.
A large number of my constituents,
many of them worried parents and school children, have contacted my
office after receiving an email suggesting that the White House is
quietly preparing to institute a military draft in June of 2005. Because
the idea of a draft is opposed by most Americans, the email notes that
the planning for a draft is being done behind closed doors “while the
public’s attention is focused on the elections.” Most emails also
reference legislation in Congress – H.R. 163 – which seeks to require
all young Americans, including women, to perform a two year period of
military service or some auxiliary service in furtherance of homeland
security.
I can assure you that our Selective Service System,
the agency established to supply manpower to our Armed Forces during
national emergencies, is not planning to conduct a draft for the
U.S. Armed Forces. Further, both President Bush and Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld have earnestly and repeatedly stated that there is no
need for a draft for the War on Terrorism or any likely contingency,
such as Iraq. Recently, on Sunday, September 6th, Secretary of State
Colin Powell reiterated the Administration’s position on ABC’s “This
Week with George Stephanopoulos" by saying, "President Bush has no plans
for a draft, nor is a draft needed." President Bush stated again last
Thursday night during his debate with Sen. Kerry that “the military will
be an all volunteer army.”
As for H.R. 163, this legislation
indeed exists, having been introduced in Congress in January of 2003.
The bill mandates two years of military or defense-related service for
all men and women ages 18-26. However, it is important to note that the
introduction of this bill was purely political. Its sponsor,
Representative Charles Rangel of New York, has been among the most vocal
critics against our liberation of Iraq. Rep. Rangel has said publicly
that he introduced the bill to generate public opposition to our
involvement in Iraq. The bill itself has no support among serious
Members of Congress who are not looking to score cheap election year
political points.
The need for retaining a Selective
Service to administer a draft is obvious for the security of our
nation. It ensures that amidst extraordinary national emergencies and
unforeseen threats, our nation is readily prepared to defend itself. It
should not be wielded as a weapon to influence public opinion or
frighten families for political purposes.”
About Congresswoman Pryce:
Deborah Pryce represents the
Fifteenth District of Ohio, which includes Western Franklin County,
Madison, and Union Counties. She serves as Chairman of the House
Republican Conference for the 108th Congress, making her the fourth
ranking member of House leadership. The Congresswoman also co-chairs
the Cancer Caucus.
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