I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5741 

To require all persons in the United States between the ages of 18 and 

42 to perform national service, either as a member of the uniformed 

services or in civilian service in furtherance of the national defense 

and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in the 

uniformed services during wartime to meet end-strength requirements 

of the uniformed services, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 15, 2010 

Mr. RANGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To require all persons in the United States between the 

ages of 18 and 42 to perform national service, either 

as a member of the uniformed services or in civilian 

service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, to authorize the induction of persons in 

the uniformed services during wartime to meet endstrength requirements of the uniformed services, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

3 ‘‘Universal National Service Act’’. 

4 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

5 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—NATIONAL SERVICE 

Sec. 101. Definitions. 

Sec. 102. National service obligation. 

Sec. 103. Induction to perform national service. 

Sec. 104. Two-year period of national service. 

Sec. 105. Implementation by the President. 

Sec. 106. Examination and classification of persons. 

Sec. 107. Deferments and postponements. 

Sec. 108. Induction exemptions. 

Sec. 109. Conscientious objection. 

Sec. 110. Discharge following national service. 

TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT 

Sec. 201. Registration of females. 

Sec. 202. Registration and induction authority. 

6 TITLE I—NATIONAL SERVICE 

7 SEC. 101. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this title: 

9 (1) The term ‘‘contingency operation’’ has the 

10 meaning given that term in section 101(a)(13) of 

11 title 10, United States Code. 

12 (2) The term ‘‘military service’’ means service 

13 performed as a member of an active or reserve com14 ponent of the uniformed services. 

15 (3) The term ‘‘national service’’ means military 

16 service or service in a civilian capacity that, as deter17 mined by the President, promotes the national deVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:10 Jul 16, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5741.IH H5741

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1 fense, including national or community service and 

2 service related to homeland security. 

3 (4) The term ‘‘Secretary concerned’’ means the 

4 Secretary of Defense with respect to the Army, 

5 Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, the Secretary 

6 of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast 

7 Guard, the Secretary of Commerce, with respect to 

8 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra9 tion, and the Secretary of Health and Human Serv10 ices, with respect to the Public Health Service. 

11 (5) The term ‘‘United States’’, when used in a 

12 geographical sense, means the several States, the 

13 District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Is14 lands, and Guam. 

15 (6) The term ‘‘uniformed services’’ means the 

16 Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, 

17 commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and At18 mospheric Administration, and commissioned corps 

19 of the Public Health Service. 

20 SEC. 102. NATIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION. 

21 (a) OBLIGATION FOR SERVICE.—It is the obligation 

22 of every citizen of the United States, and every other per23 son residing in the United States, who is between the ages 

24 of 18 and 42 to perform a period of national service as 


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1 prescribed in this title unless exempted under the provi2 sions of this title. 

3 (b) FORMS OF NATIONAL SERVICE.—The national 

4 service obligation under this title shall be performed ei5 ther— 

6 (1) as a member of an active or reserve compo7 nent of the uniformed services; or 

8 (2) in a civilian capacity that, as determined by 

9 the President, promotes the national defense, includ10 ing national or community service and service re11 lated to homeland security. 

12 (c) AGE LIMITS.—A person may be inducted under 

13 this title only if the person has attained the age of 18 

14 and has not attained the age of 42. 

15 SEC. 103. INDUCTION TO PERFORM NATIONAL SERVICE. 

16 (a) INDUCTION REQUIREMENTS.—The President 

17 shall provide for the induction of persons described in sec18 tion 102(a) to perform their national service obligation. 

19 (b) LIMITATION ON INDUCTION FOR MILITARY SERV20 ICE.—Persons described in section 102(a) may be in21 ducted to perform military service only if— 

22 (1) a declaration of war is in effect; 

23 (2) the President declares a national emer24 gency, which the President determines necessitates 

25 the induction of persons to perform military service, 


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1 and immediately informs Congress of the reasons for 

2 the declaration and the need to induct persons for 

3 military service; or 

4 (3) members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or 

5 Marine Corps are engaged in a contingency oper6 ation pursuant to a congressional authorization for 

7 the use of military force. 

8 (c) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF PERSONS INDUCTED

9 FOR MILITARY SERVICE.—When the induction of persons 

10 for military service is authorized by subsection (b), the 

11 President shall determine the number of persons described 

12 in section 102(a) whose national service obligation is to 

13 be satisfied through military service based on— 

14 (1) the authorized end strengths of the uni15 formed services; 

16 (2) the feasibility of the uniformed services to 

17 recruit sufficient volunteers to achieve such end18 strength levels; and 

19 (3) provide a mechanism for the random selec20 tion of persons to be inducted to perform military 

21 service. 

22 (d) SELECTION FOR INDUCTION.— 

23 (1) RANDOM SELECTION FOR MILITARY SERV24 ICE.—When the induction of persons for military 

25 service is authorized by subsection (b), the President 


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1 shall utilize a mechanism for the random selection of 

2 persons to be inducted to perform military service. 

3 (2) CIVILIAN SERVICE.—Persons described in 

4 section 102(a) who do not volunteer to perform mili5 tary service or are not inducted for military service 

6 shall perform their national service obligation in a 

7 civilian capacity pursuant to section 102(b)(2). 

8 (e) VOLUNTARY SERVICE.—A person subject to in9 duction under this title may— 

10 (1) volunteer to perform national service in lieu 

11 of being inducted; or 

12 (2) request permission to be inducted at a time 

13 other than the time at which the person is otherwise 

14 called for induction. 

15 SEC. 104. TWO-YEAR PERIOD OF NATIONAL SERVICE. 

16 (a) GENERAL RULE.—Except as otherwise provided 

17 in this section, the period of national service performed 

18 by a person under this title shall be two years. 

19 (b) GROUNDS FOR EXTENSION.—At the discretion of 

20 the President, the period of military service for a member 

21 of the uniformed services under this title may be ex22 tended— 

23 (1) with the consent of the member, for the 

24 purpose of furnishing hospitalization, medical, or 


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1 surgical care for injury or illness incurred in line of 

2 duty; or 

3 (2) for the purpose of requiring the member to 

4 compensate for any time lost to training for any 

5 cause. 

6 (c) EARLY TERMINATION.—The period of national 

7 service for a person under this title shall be terminated 

8 before the end of such period under the following cir9 cumstances: 

10 (1) The voluntary enlistment and active service 

11 of the person in an active or reserve component of 

12 the uniformed services for a period of at least two 

13 years, in which case the period of basic military 

14 training and education actually served by the person 

15 shall be counted toward the term of enlistment. 

16 (2) The admission and service of the person as 

17 a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military 

18 Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the 

19 United States Air Force Academy, the Coast Guard 

20 Academy, or the United States Merchant Marine 

21 Academy. 

22 (3) The enrollment and service of the person in 

23 an officer candidate program, if the person has 

24 signed an agreement to accept a Reserve commission 

25 in the appropriate service with an obligation to serve 


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1 on active duty if such a commission is offered upon 

2 completion of the program. 

3 (4) Such other grounds as the President may 

4 establish. 

5 SEC. 105. IMPLEMENTATION BY THE PRESIDENT. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall prescribe 

7 such regulations as are necessary to carry out this title. 

8 (b) MATTER TO BE COVERED BY REGULATIONS.— 

9 Such regulations shall include specification of the fol10 lowing: 

11 (1) The types of civilian service that may be 

12 performed in order for a person to satisfy the per13 son’s national service obligation under this title. 

14 (2) Standards for satisfactory performance of 

15 civilian service and of penalties for failure to per16 form civilian service satisfactorily. 

17 (3) The manner in which persons shall be se18 lected for induction under this title, including the 

19 manner in which those selected will be notified of 

20 such selection. 

21 (4) All other administrative matters in connec22 tion with the induction of persons under this title 

23 and the registration, examination, and classification 

24 of such persons. 


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1 (5) A means to determine questions or claims 

2 with respect to inclusion for, or exemption or 

3 deferment from induction under this title, including 

4 questions of conscientious objection. 

5 (6) Standards for compensation and benefits 

6 for persons performing their national service obliga7 tion under this title through civilian service. 

8 (7) Such other matters as the President deter9 mines necessary to carry out this title. 

10 (c) USE OF PRIOR ACT.—To the extent determined 

11 appropriate by the President, the President may use for 

12 purposes of this title the procedures provided in the Mili13 tary Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.), 

14 including procedures for registration, selection, and induc15 tion. 

16 SEC. 106. EXAMINATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF PER17 SONS. 

18 (a) EXAMINATION.—Every person subject to induc19 tion under this title shall, before induction, be physically 

20 and mentally examined and shall be classified as to fitness 

21 to perform national service. 

22 (b) DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS.—The 

23 President may apply different classification standards for 

24 fitness for military service and fitness for civilian service. 


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1 SEC. 107. DEFERMENTS AND POSTPONEMENTS. 

2 (a) HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.—A person who is pur3 suing a standard course of study, on a full-time basis, in 

4 a secondary school or similar institution of learning shall 

5 be entitled to have induction under this title postponed 

6 until the person— 

7 (1) obtains a high school diploma; 

8 (2) ceases to pursue satisfactorily such course 

9 of study; or 

10 (3) attains the age of 20. 

11 (b) HARDSHIP AND DISABILITY.—Deferments from 

12 national service under this title may be made for— 

13 (1) extreme hardship; or 

14 (2) physical or mental disability. 

15 (c) TRAINING CAPACITY.—The President may post16 pone or suspend the induction of persons for military serv17 ice under this title as necessary to limit the number of 

18 persons receiving basic military training and education to 

19 the maximum number that can be adequately trained. 

20 (d) TERMINATION.—No deferment or postponement 

21 of induction under this title shall continue after the cause 

22 of such deferment or postponement ceases. 

23 SEC. 108. INDUCTION EXEMPTIONS. 

24 (a) QUALIFICATIONS.—No person may be inducted 

25 for military service under this title unless the person is 

26 acceptable to the Secretary concerned for training and 


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1 meets the same health and physical qualifications applica2 ble under section 505 of title 10, United States Code, to 

3 persons seeking original enlistment in a regular compo4 nent of the Armed Forces. 

5 (b) OTHER MILITARY SERVICE.—No person shall be 

6 liable for induction under this title who— 

7 (1) is serving, or has served honorably for at 

8 least six months, in any component of the uniformed 

9 services on active duty; or 

10 (2) is or becomes a cadet or midshipman at the 

11 United States Military Academy, the United States 

12 Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Acad13 emy, the Coast Guard Academy, the United States 

14 Merchant Marine Academy, a midshipman of a Navy 

15 accredited State maritime academy, a member of the 

16 Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or the 

17 naval aviation college program, so long as that per18 son satisfactorily continues in and completes at least 

19 two years training therein. 

20 SEC. 109. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION. 

21 (a) CLAIMS AS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR.—Noth22 ing in this title shall be construed to require a person to 

23 be subject to combatant training and service in the uni24 formed services, if that person, by reason of sincerely held 


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1 moral, ethical, or religious beliefs, is conscientiously op2 posed to participation in war in any form. 

3 (b) ALTERNATIVE NONCOMBATANT OR CIVILIAN

4 SERVICE.—A person who claims exemption from combat5 ant training and service under subsection (a) and whose 

6 claim is sustained by the local board shall— 

7 (1) be assigned to noncombatant service (as de8 fined by the President), if the person is inducted 

9 into the uniformed services; or 

10 (2) be ordered by the local board, if found to 

11 be conscientiously opposed to participation in such 

12 noncombatant service, to perform national civilian 

13 service for the period specified in section 104(a) and 

14 subject to such regulations as the President may 

15 prescribe. 

16 SEC. 110. DISCHARGE FOLLOWING NATIONAL SERVICE. 

17 (a) DISCHARGE.—Upon completion or termination of 

18 the obligation to perform national service under this title, 

19 a person shall be discharged from the uniformed services 

20 or from civilian service, as the case may be, and shall not 

21 be subject to any further service under this title. 

22 (b) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AUTHORITIES.— 

23 Nothing in this section shall limit or prohibit the call to 

24 active service in the uniformed services of any person who 


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1 is a member of a regular or reserve component of the uni2 formed services. 

3 TITLE II—AMENDMENTS TO 

4 MILITARY SELECTIVE SERV5 ICE ACT 

6 SEC. 201. REGISTRATION OF FEMALES. 

7 (a) REGISTRATION REQUIRED.—Section 3(a) of the 

8 Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 453(a)) is 

9 amended— 

10 (1) by striking ‘‘male’’ both places it appears; 

11 (2) by inserting ‘‘or herself’’ after ‘‘himself’’; 

12 and 

13 (3) by striking ‘‘he’’ and inserting ‘‘the per14 son’’. 

15 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 16(a) of 

16 the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 466(a)) 

17 is amended by striking ‘‘men’’ and inserting ‘‘persons’’. 

18 SEC. 202. REGISTRATION AND INDUCTION AUTHORITY. 

19 (a) REGISTRATION.—Section 4 of the Military Selec20 tive Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 454) is amended by in21 serting after subsection (g) the following new subsection: 

22 ‘‘(h) This section does not apply with respect to the 

23 induction of persons into the Armed Forces pursuant to 

24 the Universal National Service Act.’’. 


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1 (b) INDUCTION.—Section 17(c) of the Military Selec2 tive Service Act (50 U.S.C. App. 467(c)) is amended by 

3 striking ‘‘now or hereafter’’ and all that follows through 

4 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘inducted pursuant 

5 to the Universal National Service Act.’’. 

Æ 


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