Statement About the Decision of the Democratic Leadership To Defer Consideration of Draft Reform
I DEEPLY REGRET the announced decision of the Democratic leadership to deny the United States Senate an opportunity to consider draft reform until next year. It is clear that the vast majority of Americans share the sense of urgency which I feel concerning reform of the Selective Service System. The House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote has today indicated that it holds the same opinion. Yet the action of the Senate Democratic leaders means that the Members of that body--even including, apparently, the members of the duly constituted committees--will not even have a chance to vote on my recommendation.
The American people, and particularly our young people, have questioned from time to time whether our political institutions can still be responsive to clearly felt needs. The proposed Selective Service reforms present the Senate of the United States with an opportunity to confirm those doubts--or to dissipate them. I am still hopeful that the Senate will approve-during this session--this high priority legislation.
Pointing to the further reforms which might be made is no excuse to make no reforms at all. Clearly, this is not a matter which should be casually dismissed or made a political football. I respectfully, but urgently, suggest that the decision of the Democratic Senate leadership to block action be reconsidered.
Note: On November 8, 1969, the White House Press Office released the text of a news briefing by Secretary of Defense Laird on pending draft legislation.
Richard Nixon, Statement About the Decision of the Democratic Leadership To Defer Consideration of Draft Reform Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/240006