Overview
- The Selective Service System sent its proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, and the agency says automatic enrollment will be running by December 2026.
- Congress required the shift in the fiscal 2026 defense policy law, directing the agency to pull basic details from federal databases so it can register eligible men without self-signups.
- Officials stress this is an administrative change and not a draft, since any conscription would still need a new act of Congress and the president’s approval.
- Opponents in Congress warn about privacy and timing, saying broader data sharing landed with little notice as public attention is fixed on the Iran conflict.
- Under current law most males ages 18 to 25 must register or risk penalties such as losing access to student aid and many federal jobs, and while 46 states already tie registration to driver’s licenses, overall registration dipped to 81% in 2024.