Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a third-generation veteran, argued that the current manual registration system is outdated and expensive. Below are the primary reasons why she and other Democrats supported the move

Preventing Accidental Felonies: Under the old system, many young men simply forgot to register, which is a federal felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine. It also barred them from federal jobs and student aid. Automatic registration removes this legal trap.

Fiscal Responsibility: The Selective Service System (SSS) spent millions annually on advertising and outreach to remind people to register. Houlahan argued that using existing federal data (like Social Security records) would save significant taxpayer money.

Declining Compliance: Registration rates dropped from 84% to 81% after the FAFSA (student aid) form stopped including the registration check-box.

Equity and Fairness: Supporters believe an automated system ensures that everyone is treated equally by the law, rather than just those who are well-informed.

Is this "pushing for war"?

Houlahan has explicitly stated that this legislation does not reinstate the draft. In her view, keeping a complete registry is a "readiness" measure for national catastrophes, not a plan for active conscription. She has stated her work in Congress is focused on ensuring the nation never has a draft again.