Universal National Service Act of 2007

H.R. 393, the Universal National Service Act of 2007, would have required all United States residents between the ages of 18 and 42 to perform two years of national service. This obligation could be fulfilled through active or reserve military duty or through civilian service positions related to national defense. Under the bill, the President would only have the authority to induct individuals into service during a formal declaration of war, a national emergency, or when the military is engaged in a contingency operation.

The bill would have expanded the Selective Service system to include the registration of women and required all eligible individuals to undergo physical and mental examinations to determine their fitness for duty. While the legislation provided for certain deferments and exemptions—including protections for conscientious objectors—it aimed to ensure that the responsibility for national defense was shared across the entire population. The bill did not move past the committee stage and never became law.