Supreme Court won’t hear case on male-only military draft

Jun 07, 2021 at 10:17 AM CDT

Shannon Longworth

Supreme Court Military Draft

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Supreme Court Military Draft

REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo

(AP) The Supreme Court says it won’t take up a case on whether the government can require only men to register for the military draft. In a statement, three justices said the court won’t consider the issue because Congress is weighing whether to change the law.

Shannon Longworth

Shannon Longworth was an investigative reporter and anchor for Straight Arrow News from 2021 to 2023. She started her career on California’s central coast, then made her way back home working in the sprawling suburbs of New York City

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Shannon Longworth: A BIG DECISION — OR LACK THEREOF — FROM THE U-S SUPREME COURT.
HEY EVERYONE, I’M SHANNON LONGWORTH WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.
THE SUPREME COURT WILL NOT BE HEARING A CHALLENGE TO THE MALE-ONLY REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT TO THE MILITARY DRAFT.
THE COURT JUST…DECIDED NOT TO.
WHICH MEANS, FOR NOW, ONLY MEN WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO REGISTER FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE.
THAT’S EVEN THOUGH THERE’S NO DRAFT RIGHT NOW IN THE U-S.
THOSE CHALLENGING THE REQUIREMENT SAY THE POLICY VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION’S GUARANTEE THAT LAWS APPLY EQUALLY TO EVERYONE.
THE DRAFT REGISTRATION POLICY WAS PUT INTO PLACE IN 19-48 — AND THE SUPREME COURT UPHELD IT IN 19-81.
AT BOTH OF THOSE TIMES — WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY.
BUT THE PENTAGON LIFTED THE BAN ON WOMEN IN COMBAT IN 20-13.
LAWYERS BEHIND THIS CHALLENGE ARGUE NOW THAT WOMEN CAN SERVE — SO IT MAKES LITTLE SENSE TO NOT REQUIRE THEM TO REGISTER FOR THE DRAFT.
IN A STATEMENT, JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR POINTED OUT THAT A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED ENDING THE MALE-ONLY DRAFT.
SHE WROTE QUOTE, “LONGSTANDING DEFERENCE TO CONGRESS ON MATTERS OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AND MILITARY AFFAIRS CAUTIONS AGAINST GRANTING REVIEW WHILE CONGRESS ACTIVELY WEIGHS THE ISSUE.”

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