Overview
- The Selective Service System has sent a proposed rule for White House review to switch from self-registration to automatic enrollment using government data.
- Under the plan authorized by Congress in the December 2025 defense law, most eligible men would be added to the rolls through federal, state, and motor vehicle databases.
- If the rule is finalized, the agency says it plans to implement the new system by December 2026 to streamline records and cut outreach costs.
- Registration compliance fell to 81% in 2024, and supporters say automatic enrollment would reduce missed sign-ups that can jeopardize student aid, federal jobs, or, for non-citizens, naturalization.
- Officials emphasize the proposal does not reinstate conscription, and any draft would require new legislation and presidential approval beyond what a rule change can do.