Delay Strikes Again!! Republicans floor Rangel DRAFT bill--defeated 402-2

[Dems Will Win]

Master stroke by Tom Delay!

WASHINGTON – The specter of a new military draft is being dismissed as "the hoax of the year," but Republicans are still doing everything they can to kill the rumor that has spread like wildfire among young voters and worried parents.

Both parties accused the other of shameless political gamesmanship in a House vote Tuesday that saw Democrats and Republicans line up against a bill that would have paved the way for another draft.

The 402-2 vote, on a bill sponsored by a Democrat, was called by House Republicans hoping the vote will quash the persistent rumors which have seeped into the presidential campaign.

The concerns were fueled in part by an e-mail driven rumor mill and a public awareness campaign by Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan group that seeks to boost voting among young people.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20041005-2239-thedraft.html

THIS IS A SHAM! BUSH CAN STILL REINSTATE THE DRAFT WITH A TRIGGER RESOLUTION, NO LAW IS NEEDED. RANGEL'S BILL DRAFTED WOMEN FOR COMBAT.

HERE IS WHAT BUSH IS REALLY DOING TO GEAR UP THE DRAFT:

Don't be confused by the Rangel DRAFT PROTEST BILL and the new BUSH SKILLS AND COMBAT DRAFT ACTIVITY that I've been reporting on. It's easy to get mixed up because both would draft women and both would expand the age up to 34 from 25. BUT Rangel's bill is a protest bill and hasn't a PRAYER of passing because it DRAFTS WOMEN for COMBAT .

The GOP hates that idea. Rangel proposed it because he knew it wouldn't pass but it would make it

The NEW BUSH SKILLS DRAFT would only DRAFT women for NON-COMBAT skills job.

They are two different animals.

The SSS secret Issue Paper which was an agenda for a 2003 top-level meeting between the head of the SSS and Deputy Undersecretary Abell in charge of Personnel and Readiness of the DoD, see: http://www.blatanttruth.org/selective_service091304.pdf

It's important that we not mix these up.

Here are the differences between the RANGEL PROTEST BILL and the secretive behind-the-scenes activity at the SSS and the DoD to ready not only a BUSH COMBAT DRAFT in 2005 but also a BUSH SKILLS DRAFT and BUSH MEDICAL DRAFT in 2006 or sooner.

RANGEL PROTEST BILL

1. Drafts Women for combat as well as men, 18-34
   
2. Does not draft for skills
   
   

ACTUAL BUSH SSS ACTIVITY TOWARD A 2005 DRAFT

1. Could draft MEN ONLY for combat, 18-25 (Current law)
   
2. "Groundwork being laid" (SSS Spokesman Amon) for a NON-COMBAT SKILLS DRAFT, men and women age 18-34. 2-year process to gear up SKILLS DRAFT started nearly 2 YEARS AGO in Feb. 2003, meaning a skills draft would be ready in 2005. (a new law wuold be passed if Bush gets back in)
   
3. The MEDICAL DRAFT registration data collection is also going to be readied for operational use in 2005 by using the SKILLS DRAFT work they've done and make the reg card you'd fill out at the Post Office contain all the listed medical skills. This means the Medical draft would be ready in 2005, men and women age 20-44. (This draft like the current combat draft for men 18-25, is already the law of the land)
   
4. The secret AGENDA DOC actually proposes being able to call a SKILLS and MEDICAL DRAFT WITHOUT calling a combat draft.
   ...
   

The biggest difference of course is that the RANGEL PROTEST BILL will NEVER happen and the NEW BUSH DRAFT has already begun gearing up for 2005.

SKILLS DRAFT AND NEW COMBAT DRAFT TIMELINE

Feb. 11 2003 - Top-level meeting between the head of the SSS and Deputy Undersecretary Abell in charge of Personnel and Readiness of the DoD on the SKILLS DRAFT. This is the meeting of the secret Issue Paper, revealed by the Freedom of Information Act in May. The SSS goes back encouraged enough to do some more planning.

Summer 2003 - Drive to start filling DRAFT BOARD vacancies by asking current board members to find new ones.

Fall 2003 - DoD announces critical skills shortages in linguists, computer experts and engineers. SSS Director Brodsky orders the designing of the SKILLS DRAFT procedures, the reg card and the massive database needed to track every young American under 35 and their skills. Brodsky, who "plays" JE McNeil and other anti-draft leaders by calling them regularly and shmoozing them, lies to McNeil telling her that in February of 2003 the SSS had to "justify their existence" before a hostile committee--when in reality the SSS and DOD were having the SKILLS DRAFT meeting and he himself had just started designing the new system and making it his top priority.

Sept 2003 - Draft board recruitment ad goes up on Web.

November 2003 - Draft board ad scrubbed!

Dec. 2003 - Brodsky announces the SKILLS DRAFT to be the "top priority' of the SSS in newsletter and tells of rapid progress to come.

March 13, 2004 - Word of SKILLS DRAFT leaks out in a SF Chronicle story and the SSS admits it and tells reporters it’s just a planning contingency. In an attempt to throw the press off, the SSS also says it would take 2 years to gear up and work out the kinks for the SKILLS DRAFT and that there is no funding for it. Eric Rosenberg, the reporter on the story, finds out about the Feb. 11 meeting Issue Paper and files a Freedom of Information Act request to get it.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/13/MNG905K1BC1.DTL


May 1, 2004 – Article on SKILLS DRAFT leaves out key points of how skills conscription would be expanded to fill labor shortages throughout Dept of Homeland Security, 1/3 of government, how the SKILLS DRAFT can be called without a combat draft, how SKILLS INDUCTEES will be inducted within a mere 90 days of reauthorization, that the SSS wanted to “promptly” change the very MISSION of the SSS and so on. The article does, however, reveal many major point of sweeping plan. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/171522_draft01.html

Sept 13, 2004 – Issue Paper agenda memo of key Feb 2003 meeting posted on the Web at http://www.blatanttruth.org/selective_service091304.pdf sample:
"while a conventional draft may never be needed, a draft of men and women possessing these critical skills may be warranted in a future crisis if too few volunteer."

2004 – MOCK DRAFT LOTTERY HELD, SAMPLE MEDICAL EXAM REPORT ORDERS ISSUED TO MAIL LIST. Alternative Service geared up for first time in 31 years! Papers to place Conscientious Objectors with employers actually drawn up. SSS brought up to 95% operational capability, full Medical draft capability set for 2005, all DRAFT BOARD vacancies filled by Spring 2005! On March 31, 2005, the SSS Director must report to the Congress that the entire system is primed and ready to open 2,000 draft board offices and start inducting within 75 days, or June 15, 2005.

BUSH ’04 = DRAFT ‘O5

“There will be no draft when John Kerry is President.” - John Edwards



Printable pdf: http: http://somnamblst.tripod.com/draftalert.pdf

[Dems Will Win]

1. Here's the secret agenda memo from the FOI Act: BUSH SKILLS DRAFT 2005!

The scanned memo: http://www.blatanttruth.org/selective_service091304.pdf

(M+ then a number refers to Manpower Delivery in so many days after activation by Congress, SECDEF is Rumsfeld)

And the HTML:

0930 11 February 2003

TOPICAL AGENDA
The Department of Defense (Personnel & Readiness)
And the Selective Service System

DoD Participants:
Hon. Charles S. Abell, Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for
Personnel and Readiness
Mr. William Carr, Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for
Military Personnel Policy
Colonel David Kopanski, Deputy Director, Accession Policy

SSS Participants:
Mr. Lewis C. Brodsky, Acting Director of Selective Service
Mr. Richard S. Flahavan, Director of Public & Congressional Affairs


I. Review 30-year time-line – SSS major policy issues


A. Draft ends in 1973. Agency placed in “Deep Standby” from 1976 to 1980. Ninety-eight “record keepers” remain in SSS, part-time Reserve Officers kept on board, but no registration, no Board Members.

B. 1980 – Cold War continues. President Carter decides to revitalize SSS after Soviets invade Afghanistan and MOBEXs indicate need. No draft, but resumes registration program for men. Wants to include women but Congress says no. 10,000 Board Members appointed and trained. DoD sets preparedness goal for SSS: “Be ready to provide first draftees to MEPS at M+13 and 100,000 by M+30”

C. 1988 – Congress reacts to military medical shortages (“war stoppers”). Language inserted in the Defense Authorization Act telling SSS to develop a “structure” which would allow the registration and induction of health care personnel in an emergency
DoD identifies more than 60 health carespecialtiess to include in the SSS Health Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS). Planning calls for first HCPDS draftees by M+42 HCPDS becomes a paper and computer exercise lasting many years.

D. 1989-1991 – End of Cold War, Desert Storm, no draft, and SSS remains in standby status with flat-lined annual budgets.

E. 1993 and 1994 – Detractors in the Congress challenge need for continuing to fund SSS and peacetime registration. Section 547(b), FY 1993 DoD Authorization Act requires SECDEF, in concert with SSS, to report on continuation of peacetime registration. This was accomplished, registration is retained, and an interagency task force review was formed, led by the NSC. Conclusion is announced by President Clinton: preserve SSS and peacetime registration in current standby status for three reasons:

1. A hedge against underestimating the number of soldiers needed to fight a future war.
2. A symbol of national resolve to potential adversaries, and,
3. A link between the all-volunteer Armed Forces and society-at-large. Clinton also instructs SSS to increase operational efficiency. Instructs DoD to update MOB Requirements for SSS, re-examine timelines, and review arguments for and against Continuing to exclude women from registration.


F. 1994 – Defense issues new “post-Cold War” guidance to SSS: “provides first untrained draftee to MEPS at M+193, first Health Care draftee at M+222.” DoD reaffirms that it is not necessary to register or draft women (for a conventional draft of untrained manpower) because they are prohibited by policy from serving in ground combat assignments. SSS recognizes women may have to be included in health care draft.

G. 1998 – DoD Health Affairs says health care personnel would be needed earlier than M+222 in a future conflict. Guidance changed to M+90. Today, HCPDS can be implemented, but ability to meet M+90 time frame is doubtful. Program not fully tested and compliance aspects still not complete.

H. 1995 through 2000 – Anti-SSS Members of Congress almost successful in eliminating SSS through the appropriations process. SSS undergoes structure and program reductions to make ends meet. Readiness suffers.

I. 2000 and 2001 – DoD and SSS plan and implement joint mailing project to increase peacetime relevancy of SSS and improve timeliness and address accuracy of DoD recruiting direct mail programs.

J. 2002 and 2003 – Administration says use of draft not an option for war on terrorism or potential war with Iraq. Rep. Rangel and Sen. Hollings introduce bills (H.R. 163 and S. 89) call for reinstituting a draft for military and national service. SECDEF adamant and vocal against using the draft for any immediate or likely contingency. Most recently, Reps. Paul, DeFazio and Frank introduce H.R. 487, calling for repeal of the Military Selective Service Act and an end to the SSS within six months of the bill becoming
law.


11 February 2003
ISSUE PAPER

Synopsis:

With known shortages of military personnel with certain critical skills, and with the need for the nation to be capable of responding to domestic emergencies as part of Homeland Security planning, changes should be made in the Selective Service System’s registration program and primary mission.

Situation:

Currently, and in accordance with the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA) <50 U.S.C., App. 451 et seq.>, the Selective Service System (SSS) collects and maintains Personal information from all U.S. male citizens and resident aliens. Under this process, Each man is required to “present himself for and submit to registration” upon reaching age 18.

The methods by which a man can register with Selective Service include the internet, mail-back postcard, checking a box on the other government forms, and through the driver’s license applications process in many states. The collected data is retained in an active computer file until the man reaches the age 26 and is no longer draft eligible. It consists of the man’s name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. Currently, 91 percent of all men, ages 18 through 25, are registered, enabling the SSS to conduct a timely, fair, and equitable draft in the event the Congress and the President decide to reinstate conscription during a crisis.

However, the Secretary of Defense and Department of Defense manpower officials have stated recently that a draft will not be necessary for any foreseeable crisis. They assume that sufficient fighting capability exists in today’s “all-volunteer” active and reserve Armed Forces for likely contingencies, making a conventional draft of untrained manpower somewhatt obsolete. Yet, Defense manpower officials concede there are critical shortages of military personnel with certain special skills, such as medical personnel, linguists, computer network engineers, etc. The costs of attracting and retaining such personnel for military-service could be prohibitive, leading some officials to conclude that while a conventional draft may never be needed, a draft of men and women possessing these critical skills may be warranted in a future crisis, if too few volunteer.

Proposal:

In line with today’s needs, the SSS structure, programs and activities should be re-engineered towards maintaining a national inventory of American men and (for the first time) women, ages 18 through 34, with an added focus on identifying individuals with critical skills.

An interagency task force should examine the feasibility of this proposal which would require amendments to the MSSA, expansion of the current registration program, and inclusion of women. In addition to the basic identifying information collected in the current program, the expanded and revised program would require all registrants to indicate whether they have been trained in, possess, and professionally practice, one or more skills critical to national security or community health and safety. This could take the form of an initial “self-declaration” as a part of the registration process. Men and women would enter on the SSS registration form a multi-digit number representing their specific critical skill (e.g., similar to military occupational specialty or Armed Forces Specialty Code with Skill Identifier), taken from a lengthy list of skills to be compiled and published by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. Individuals proficient in more than one critical skill would list the practiced skill in which they have the greatest degree of experience and competency. They would also be required to update reported information as necessary until they reach the age 35. This unique data base would provide the military (and national, state, and municipal government agencies) with immediately available links to vital human resources…in effect, a single, most accurate and complete, national inventory of young Americans with special skills.

While the data base’s “worst-case” use might be to draft such personnel into military or homeland security assignments during a national mobilization, its very practical peacetime use could be to support recruiting and direct marketing campaigns aimed at encouraging skilled personnel to volunteer for community or military service opportunities, and to consider applying for hard-to-fill public sector jobs. Local government agencies could also tap this data base to locate nearby specialists for help with domestic crises and emergency situations.

With the changes described above, SSS programs would be modified to serve the contemporary needs of several customers: Department of Defense Department of Homeland Security (FEMA, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, INS), Corporation for National Service, Public Health Service, and other federal and state agencies seeking personnel with critical skills for national security or community service assignments. The SSS would thus play a more vital, relevant, and immediate role in shoring up America’s strength and readiness in peace and war.

# # #

II. Are today’s SSS capabilities in sync with DoD needs?


A. Is there a need to preserve the capability of conducting a draft of untrained Manpower? If so, is the time frame still M+193?

B. How likely is it that DoD will need SSS to conduct a Health Care draft?

C. How severe are any other critical skills shortages in the military?

D. Are the Clinton-era’s abstract reasons for preserving the SSS and peacetime registration still valid?

E. Would DoD still fight nay and all Congressional initiatives to cut or eliminate the SSS?


III. Consider restructuring the SSS to address contemporary national security needs

A. Focus might be on relieving critical skills shortages

B. Include potential service to DHS and other government agencies that must attract/recruit skilled personnel

C. Explore the feasibility of developing a single-point data base of virtually all young Americans, 18 through 34 years old, immediately identifiable by critical skills possessed and practiced. Data base could be used for a draft in war and for recruiting in peacetime.


1. Would require modification of SSS mission and changes to authorizing law.

2. Cost considerations

IV. Next steps – Statement of Administration Policy needed


A. DoD decides what services it needs and wants from SSS: Three options for consideration:

1. SSS status quo; however, redefine the DoD mission guidance and time lines to make the SSS more relevant to DoD’s needs and the SECDEF’s policy. The current guidance of providing untrained inductees at M+193 runs counter to the SECDEF’s views and is out-of-sync with possible wartime scenarios.
2. Return the SSS to “Deep Standby” status. If a draft of any kind is highly unlikely and undesirable, eliminate peacetime registration and dismiss the 10,000 trained volunteer Board Members. However, should a draft be needed, it would take more than a year to get the system capable of conducting a fair and equitable draft from Deep Standby status.
3. Restructure the SSS and shift its peacetime focus to accommodate DoD’s most likely requirements in a crisis. Plan for conducting a more likely draft of individual with special and critical skills.


a. Minimum requirement: SSS mission guidance and time lines must be redefined promptly by DoD to allow more relevant pre-mobilization planning and funding for the possibility of a critical skills draft at M+90 or sooner. Peacetime registration of men 18 through 25 would continue, but consideration would also be given to identifying men with certain critical skills among these year-of-birth groupings. A post-mobilization plan would also be devised and computer programming accomplished for a full-blown critical skills draft. The HCPDS program is completed, brought to the forefront of SSS readiness planning, and tested through exercises. Without a reaffirmation of relevance and adjustment of mission, the SSS will be an easy target for reduction or elimination by detractors in the Congress and the Administration.

b. Expanded pre-mobilization requirement. SSS peacetime registration expanded to include women and men, 18 through 34 years old, and collects information on critical skills within these year-of-birth groupings. Requires change of law and additional funding (see Issue Paper dated 11 Feb 2003).


B. If more examination of the issues and options is needed, consider forming an interagency task force to provide the Administration with a policy recommendation. Possible players: DoD, SSS, DHS, NSC, OMB, Corporation for National Service, PHS, others.

C. After suitable analysis, obtain a White House Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) announcing plans for the future of the SSS (course of action 1,2, or 3, above).

D. If the SSS is to expand its pre-mobilization activities to include registration of women and collection of critical skills identifiers, it will be be necessary to market the concept for approval by the Armed Services Committees and Appropriations Committees and draft implementing legislation for congressional consideration. The changes will be implemented after the amended law is signed and funding is identified.

[Dems Will Win]

2. kick

[USA_1]

3. draft vote hoax

I agree that this vote was just a hoax designed to keep people's minds off the draft that will be a clear eventuality if Bush "wins" in November. As you pointed out, the SSS site shows that the Pentagon is prepared to implement a male only draft for men ages 18-25 with a likelihood of registration required up to age 34.

It will not include a draft for women as no written plan is in place. One reason why it may be deemed unfeasible to draft girls and women is because mothers will be exempt or excluded for a certain period. It would take at least a year or two for State/City agencies to be set up in order to take care of underaged children. Many of these municipalities are now broke thanks to Bush's stupid policies. How will they be able to take care of children if they have no funding? Without a plan in place, there is no way to do this. Therefore, it will not be cost effective for society to draft women as teenaged girls and married women will deliberately get pregnant in order to avoid service.

I know that this is totally unfair but that is the likely scenario.

[ClassWarrior]

9. /

[Debi]

4. All Rangel's bill would've done is make the draft equal.

No moving to Canada, no education or marital deferments, no 'friends' in high places...hmmm, now we can just have a good old fashioned draft.

[Dems Will Win]

5. AND A SKILLS/MEDICAL DRAFT!

[Nexus7]

6. MISLEADING HEADLINE: Rangel got exactly what he wanted!

Does anybody really think Rangel introduced this bill with the expectation that it would pass?! His intent was to,

a. publicize the imminence of the draft (backdoor or otherwise)

b. point out how the well-connected had avoided paying the price of a draft in the past

I don't see that the thing went anywhere it wasn't supposed to. It's also annoying how some posters write these headlines giving repubs false victories... are you trying to be contrarian, or draw attention to yourself, or what? Unless you're really surprised that the repubs used under-handed legislative tactics. That's what they are, that's what they do!

[Dems Will Win]

7. Rangel was a numbnut, and looked stricken on C-SPAN

when his bill came up. Now the Republicans are saying you don't have to worry about a re-instatement of the DRAFT now, the vote was 402-2 against reinstatement.

What I'm saying in this thread and yes, I'm trying to get people to look at this thread, is that Bush can still ask for a DRAFT tomorrow.

[ClassWarrior]

8. YES - We all need to hammer this point!!

This was a bill that called for a draft that included ALL young people - even the children of the wealthy, powerful, and well-connected. Defeating THIS bill only means that Congress has no intention of making the coming draft FAIR AND EQUAL.

23.

[Lars39]

10. Can you explain how a trigger resolution works?

Is it comparable to the end-runs he has done to get the faith-based programs going?

[crispini]

11. Update on Rangel bill defeat

Here's the email that got sent out from Rangel. Sorry no link... I couldn't find it published anywhere.


Dear :

On Tuesday the Republican House leadership made a cynical decision to
bring my national service legislation (H.R. 163) up for a vote with no notice, no hearings, and no consideration.

This is legislation that I introduced at the beginning of last year that would instate a draft -- requiring all young people to perform some sort of national service and subjecting them all equally to the possibility of military service.

I felt that too much would be asked of our so-called "volunteer" army
made up primarily of young men and women from inner cities and small
towns who join the service for economic and educational opportunities
not available to them in their disadvantaged communities. I also opposed the war and felt that if the wealthy and privileged were faced with the possibility of having to send their own children to war, the political support for this elective war would disappear.

I always knew the issue of a draft would be controversial and it should be. But what the Republican Leadership did was to bring up the bill on "the Suspension Calendar" -- normally reserved for ordinary, non-controversial bills such as the naming of local post office branches.

They did not bring the bill up because they supported it or even because they opposed it. (Most of them never read it even though it's only 12 pages.)

The reason they brought up the bill was to make a cynical political
statement a month before the election. They thought they could address the public's suspicion that a draft will be necessary if Bush and the Republicans are re-elected if they held this surprise vote a month before the election.

Not only was this an abuse of the House of Representatives, but it also won't work.

The rumors of a draft are not due to my bill. They are due to the Bush Administration's failed Iraq policy. It is now clear that they did not have a plan when they went into Iraq. This week we learned that former US Administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer has even declared that the lack of enough troops on the ground created "an atmosphere of lawlessness" that has made it difficult to stabilize Iraq. Recently, the Commander of the Iraq forces, General John Abizaid said that more troops are needed to secure Iraq's scheduled January elections. And The New York Times (Sept. 27) reported the Army is preparing to keep troops at the current levels in Iraq through 2007. All this when we all know that the National Guard and Reserve members have been recycled over and over and a back door draft is forcing people to re-enlist.

Where are we going to get all of these troops? I don't know. And neither do millions of Americans. So, they are rightly worried about a draft.

They deserve more than just an empty gesture. So do our troops, who are still on the ground, and left with the message that we couldn't take the time to discuss their situation and what should be done to relieve them. That's why I voted against this cynical ploy and told my fellow Democrats that this was not a serious vote.

I truly believe that if we continue Bush's failed policies in Iraq, a
military draft will be unavoidable. Certainly, the idea that sacrifices should be shared in time of crisis is an issue that we must address. The Republicans want to sweep the sacrifices of the war in Iraq under the rug for their own political gain. We cannot let them get away with it.

Please pass this message on to your concerned friends and encourage them to visit www.charlierangel.org and click on the "Learn More" section near the poll for more information.

Sincerely,



Charles B. Rangel
Member of Congress