The Selective Service System
Summary
The federal registry that would run a draft if Congress and the President ever authorize one -- funded at $31.3 million and about 113 full-time staff in FY2025, while just 78.7% of the men it's required to register are actually on file.
What is this organization?
What does it do?
Federal law requires every male citizen, and every other male person residing in the U.S.⧉, aged 18 to 26, to register. In 2025 SSS processed more than 2.1 million new registration records⧉ (97.8% electronic) and maintains approximately 101 million registration records⧉ in its database. By the close of 2025, 14.9 million men aged 18-25 were registered⧉ -- a 78.7% national rate. SSS also administers an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors, though no inductions or deferments occurred in 2025⧉ -- there is no active draft.
What does it cost to run — money and people?
Congress enacted $31.3 million⧉ for SSS's FY2025 salaries and expenses, a level SSS's own budget submission carries flat through a FY2026 estimate⧉ before requesting $32.3 million for FY2027. SSS budgeted 110 civilian and 3 military positions for FY2025⧉, a level it has been cutting -- the Agency hit its workforce-reduction target twelve months early⧉ and budgets 101 civilian plus 2 military for FY2026. Against the 14.9 million men aged 18-25 registered at the close of 2025, FY2025's budget works out to about $2.10 per registered man.
View data as table
| FY2025 enacted | 31.3 | 113 total FTE (110 civilian + 3 military) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2026 estimate | 31.3 | flat -- FTE cut to 103 total |
| FY2027 request | 32.3 | +3.2% -- automatic-registration rollout year |
Why is it good for society?
SSS's registration system lets a draft start at Congress's authorization rather than after building a manpower roster from nothing -- it already runs a national headquarters, a headquarters in every state and territory, and a roughly 101-million-record database. That readiness only works if the roster is complete, and it isn't: just 78.7% of men aged 18-25 were registered⧉ nationally at the close of 2025. Congress's fix -- the automatic-registration mandate⧉ SSS must implement by December 2026⧉ -- targets that gap, shifting registration from individual men to a federal-data match SSS itself runs.
- SSS's FY2025 budget ($31.3M) is flat through the FY2026 estimate and works out to about $2.10 per registered man aged 18-25 -- yet only 78.7% of that population is actually registered.
- SSS cut FY2025's 113 total (110 civilian + 3 military) to a budgeted 103 for FY2026 (101 civilian + 2 military), hitting its workforce-reduction target twelve months early.
Your handles.* If you're a man aged 18-25 and not sure you're covered, register directly -- it takes minutes and is required by law. Already registered but need proof for a job, license, or federal benefit? Verify your registration online. Questions about your status or your State Director's office go through SSS's contact page.
Sources(3) ▾
- U.S. House Office of the Law Revision Counsel / U.S. Government Publishing Office, Military Selective Service Act (compiled statute, COMPS-527) -- as amended through P.L. 119-60, enacted December 18, 2025 (2026-01-26) — GPO's current compiled text of the Military Selective Service Act. Section 10 (50 U.S.C. 3809) establishes SSS in the executive branch and sets the Director's appointment method; Section 3 (50 U.S.C. 3802) is the registration duty and, in a bracketed amendment note, the automatic-registration provision Congress added via the FY2026 NDAA (P.L. 119-60), effective December 18, 2026. Direct govinfo.gov fetch succeeded; a February 2026 Wayback snapshot exists for this exact URL. govinfo.gov · original document
- Selective Service System, Selective Service System FY 2027 Congressional Budget Justification (2026-04-01) — SSS's own FY2027 budget submission: the Performance Budget Summary and Budget Submission by Object Class tables give FY2025 enacted, FY2026 estimate, and FY2027 request total budget authority ($31,300,000 / $31,300,000 / $32,300,000) and counts (civilian 110/101/101; military 3/2/2). Executive Summary states the FY2027 request is 'consistent with the 2026 enacted level' and that SSS 'achieved its Agency RIF and Reorganization Plan (ARRP) headcount target twelve months early.' Direct sss.gov fetch succeeded (HTTP 200, no block encountered). sss.gov · original document
- Selective Service System, Selective Service System Annual Report to the Congress of the United States, Calendar Year 2025 (2026-06-12) — SSS's statutory annual report to Congress (required by 50 U.S.C. 3809(g)): CY2025 registration workload (2.1 million new records, 97.8% electronic, ~101 million records on file, 14.9 million men aged 18-25 registered, 78.7% national registration rate), call-center metrics, the FY2025 enacted budget figure ($31.3 million), the national headquarters address (Arlington, ), and confirmation that no inductions or deferments occurred in 2025. Direct sss.gov fetch succeeded (HTTP 200); no existing Wayback snapshot found for this exact URL and one availability probe was not repeated per the outage-era one-probe policy -- archiveUrl recorded null, non-blocking since the direct URL serves the document. sss.gov · original document
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The Selective Service System is a federal agency established in the executive branch⧉ by Section 10 of the Military Selective Service Act -- enacted June 24, 1948⧉ as Chapter 625 of the 80th Congress, codified at 50 U.S.C. § 3809, and most recently amended by the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 119-60, December 2025). A presidentially appointed Director heads a national headquarters in Arlington, Virginia⧉, plus a headquarters in every state, territory, and the District of Columbia.