A major change is coming to how the United States prepares for a potential military draft.
Starting December 2026, eligible young men may be automatically registered for the Selective Service instead of having to sign up themselves.
The change comes after Congress approved the measure in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, a massive defense funding bill that quietly included the new registration system.
The rule would shift responsibility from individuals to the government by pulling data directly from federal records.
Right now, federal law already requires most men between ages 18 and 25 to register with the Selective Service System.
The difference is that failure to register currently carries serious penalties.
Those include fines up to $250,000, possible prison time up to five years, and loss of eligibility for federal student loans, government jobs, and even citizenship for immigrants.
Officials say the automatic system is meant to fix a growing compliance problem. Registration rates have slipped in recent years, dropping from 84 percent in 2023 to about 81 percent.
Lawmakers backing the change say automation will save taxpayer money and improve military readiness if a national emergency ever requires rapid mobilization.
Currently, 46 states already automatically register eligible men when they apply for a driver license or state ID.
The federal plan would essentially expand that concept nationwide using broader government databases.
The announcement also comes during rising global tensions, including recent U.S. military conflict involving Iran, which has sparked public speculation about whether a draft could ever return.
The United States has not used a military draft since the Vietnam War, when conscription became one of the most controversial policies in modern American history.
Despite concerns, the White House says there are no current plans to activate a draft.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently said a draft is not under consideration but noted that President Donald Trump prefers to keep all options available depending on global threats.
For now, officials describe the change as administrative, not a signal that conscription is coming soon.
Still, the move highlights how seriously the government is taking future military preparedness as global conflicts continue to evolve.