Gender Issues

Changes Would Be Needed to Expand Selective Service Registration to Women Gao ID: NSIAD-98-199 June 30, 1998

Members of Congress have raised the issue of whether men and women both might need to register with the Selective Service System to provide an adequate pool of potential military personnel in the event of a prolonged conflict. GAO found that the Selective Service Commission could register women if its authorizing legislation--the Military Selective Service Act--were amended to provide for registering women. Currently, the Act only requires men to register. Selective Service estimates that it would need 17 to 23 additional staff and about $4.6 million to $5.2 billion in added funding to carry out such a mandate.

GAO noted that: (1) SSS could register women if its authorizing legislation, the Military Selective Service Act, were amended to provide for registering women; (2) currently, the act only obligates males to register; and (3) Selective Service estimates that it would need 17 to 23 additional staff and about $4.6 million to $5.2 million in added funding to carry out such a mandate.



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