Page 6 - aruba-today-20161202

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 2 december 2016
White House announces support for women in military draft

women registering for the The new posture from the
Selective Service,” Price Obama administration
said, using the formal name comes amid a disagree-
for the military draft. ment in Congress about
The White House empha- whether to add women to
sized that the administra- the draft. Earlier this week,
tion remains committed to House and Senate negoti-
an all-volunteer military — ators agreed to strip a pro-
meaning women, like men, vision from the annual de-
wouldn’t be forced to fense policy bill that would
serve unless there were a have required young wom-
national emergency like a en to register.
major world war. Changing The measure had roiled so-
the policy would require an cial conservatives, who de-
act of Congress, and there cried it as another step to-
are no signs that lawmak- ward the blurring of gender
ers plan to move swiftly to lines akin to allowing trans-
enact the change. gender people to use pub-
The Defense Department lic lavatories and locker
echoed Obama’s position, rooms.
first reported by USA Today. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Tex-
Pentagon press secretary as, spoke for a number
Peter Cook said that Cart- of Republicans when he
Defense Secretary Ash Carter testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Obama administration
is announcing its support for requiring women to register for the military draft. The administration er believes the inclusion of described the provision
has been deliberating for roughly a year about whether to back such a change to the Selective women in combat roles as “coercing America’s
Service. has strengthened the mili- daughters” into draft regis-
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) tary’s might. tration.
JOSH LEDERMAN one seeking to incorporate Ned Price, a spokesman “He thinks it makes sense But proponents of includ-
Associated Press women at all levels. for the White House’s Na- for women to register for ing women in the draft
WASHINGTON (AP) — The President Barack Obama tional Security Council, said Selective Service, just as pool viewed the require-
Obama administration de- has been considering Obama believes women men must,” Cook said. ment as a sensible step to-
clared its support Thursday whether to adopt the po- have “proven their mettle,” Under current law, women ward gender equality. They
for requiring women to reg- sition since last December, including in Afghanistan can volunteer to serve in pointed to the Pentagon’s
ister for the military draft, when Defense Secretary and Iraq. the military but aren’t re- decision last year to open
a symbolic but significant Ash Carter ordered the “As old barriers for military quired to register for the all front-line combat jobs
shift that reflects the U.S. military to open all jobs to service are being removed, draft. All adult men must to women as removing any
military’s evolution from a women, including the most the administration supports register within 30 days of justification for gender re-
male-dominated force to arduous combat posts. — as a logical next step — their 18th birthday. strictions on registration.q
US overhauls public land use planning; senator vows reversal

MATTHEW BROWN lands, primarily in 12 West- and shift decision-making the action once President- the Senate Subcommittee
Associated Press ern states and the Dakotas. from agency field offices to elect Donald Trump takes on Public Lands, Forests
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Administration officials said Washington, D.C. office. and Mining.
government officials on the changes would im- It updates regulations ad- About 28 percent of Wyo- The changes were backed
Thursday finalized an over- prove public involvement opted in 1979. ming’s land and 65 percent by conservation and sport-
haul of how they plan for and government transpar- The Associated Press ob- of the minerals beneath its ing groups including Trout
oil and gas drilling, mining, ency by adding additional tained details prior to Thurs- surface are administered Unlimited and the Theo-
grazing and other activities steps to land-use planning. day’s public announce- by the Bureau of Land dore Roosevelt Conser-
across public lands in the Members of Congress, in- ment. The timing of the new Management. vation Partnership. Joel
West. dustry groups and local of- rule in the Obama admin- “We need better coordi- Webster, the partnership’s
The move by the Bureau of ficials have raised concerns istration’s last days drew a nation among state, local Western lands director, said
Land Management aims to about the overhaul’s prac- rebuke from U.S. Sen. John and federal land manage- the rule would ensure deci-
address longstanding criti- tical effects. They’ve said Barrasso, who predicted it ment agencies. Massive sions affecting wildlife such
cism of an often-cumber- it will elevate wildlife and would take authority away landscape-scale plans di- as mule deer weren’t hob-
some process that dictates environmental preserva- from local land managers. rected from Washington, bled by artificial boundar-
development across almost tion above other uses such The Wyoming Republican D.C., are not the answer,” ies that separate bureau
250 million acres of federal as energy development pledged to work to reverse said Barrasso, chairman of field offices.q