Clear answers sought from Congress 

March 22, 2005

A grass roots effort is gaining momentum as thousands of nervous parents across the country call on their elected representatives to make public their position on the draft.

Mothers Against the Draft (MAD), a new non-profit organization with growing chapters in every state, is at the forefront of the fight to get some straight answers from Congress. This week MAD sent a pointed six question survey on compulsory service to every member of Congress.

“Millions of Americans are worried that mounting pressures on our already over-stretched military forces may lead to a new draft,” said Janine Hansen, Mothers Against the Draft Chairman.

“We believe citizens have an absolute right to know where their elected representatives stand on conscription and we’re committed to helping them get an honest answer from their Congressman.” 

To those who say there won’t be a draft, Hansen points to General Richard Cody and Lt. Gen. James Helmly.

Earlier this week General Cody, the Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, confessed that he’s “losing sleep” worrying about the “future of the all-volunteer force.” And he's not alone. Army Reserve Chief, Lt. Gen. Helmly, in a recent memo bluntly reported that the Reserves were "rapidly degenerating into a broken force" and had reached the point where it could no longer fulfill its mission in Iraq and Afghanistan and regenerate its forces.

“If our top military leaders tell us they’re extremely concerned, then I think it’s safe to assume they didn’t draw their conclusions from a rumor they read on the internet,” said Hansen.

Mothers Against the Draft will release survey results to the national media on April 12th. Any Congressman or Senator who fails to respond by April 12th will be listed as “declined to respond” until their survey response is received.

“It’s time for Congress to stop dodging the draft question,” said Hansen. “We have a right to know if our Congressman would vote to conscript our sons and daughters.  And we won’t be quiet until we get a straight answer.”

"If you are one of the millions of Americans concerned about the threat of a new draft, the mothers of MAD need your help," said Hansen. "Please go to www.mothersagainstthedraft.org, and make your voice heard, today. Sign our Petition to Congress and demand that your Congressman and Senators respond to our survey and tell you where they stand on the draft. You have a right to know and your elected representatives have a duty to tell you the truth."

To follow the status of any efforts to reinstate the draft, email your Congressman, or receive an email alert when your Congressman and Senator's surveys are returned, visit www.mothersagainstthedraft.org, or call 775-356-9009.

To call your elected representatives in Congress, dial the Congressional Switchboard today at 1-202-225-3121. If you don’t know the names of your two senators and your representative, the operator will look them up for you and direct your call to the right office.

"It's critical that your representatives hear from you," said Hansen.  "Be courteous but firm.  Let them know that you'll be looking for their response to MAD's survey."

For more information or to arrange an interview with Janine Hansen, Chairman of MAD please call 775-356-9009. To interview Peg Luksik, Vice-Chairman of MAD, please call (814) 244-8948.