Representative Charles Rangel Introduces Universal National Service Act (Bill H.R. 5741)

Before it was announced that Democratic Representative Charles Rangel of New York was to be investigated by the House Ethics Committee, he introduced the Universal National Service Act (Bill H.R. 5741), on July 15, 2010. This bill has now been referred to the Committee on House Armed Services and the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.

What is the Universal National Service Act?

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.

The bill goes on to state that it is the OBLIGATION of every U.S. citizen between the ages of 18 and 42 (excluding those with extreme hardships, physical or mental disabilities), to perform a two-year period of national service in the uniformed services. Conscientious objectors are not exempt from this service, as they will be assigned to noncombatant or civilian services. Uniformed service is described as Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine corps, Coast Guard, commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.

The forms of national service that 18 to 41 year olds will be obligated to perform, either in a uniformed service or civilian capacity will be determined by the President of the United States. These may include national or community services relating to national defense and/or homeland security. The military service my include declarations of war, national emergency declared by the President, or contingency operations pursuant to a congressional authorization for the use of military force.

Implementation by the President in Section 105 is particularly interesting. The President shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this title, such as types of civilian service to be performed, standards of performance, penalties of failure to perform civilian service, and such other matters as the President determines necessary to carry out this title.

Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

Section 1. Neither slavery nor INVOLUNTARY servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

At Columbia University on September 11, 2008, Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama states: "And if you go to small towns, throughout the Midwest or the Southwest or the South, every town has tons of young people who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's not always the case in other parts of the country, in more urban centers. And I think it's important for the president to say, this is an important OBLIGATION. If we are going into war, then all of us go, not just some."

Sources: Constitution of the United States, Wikipedia.org, govtrack.us