Title 50 — War and National DefenseRelease 119-73
§3801 Short title; Congressional declaration of policy
Title 50 › Chapter CHAPTER 49— - MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE › § 3801
Summary
It requires the nation to keep a strong armed force and to share military service fairly while protecting the economy. The law is called the Military Selective Service Act. It says the National Guard must be kept ready as a first line of defense and lets Congress order Guard and needed Reserve units into federal active duty when extra forces are required. It also calls for strong scientific and technical effort for national security and says the Selective Service System must stay independent from other agencies, including the Department of Defense.
Full Legal Text
Title 50, §3801
War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)This Act may be cited as the “Military Selective Service Act”.
(b)The Congress declares that an adequate armed strength must be achieved and maintained to insure the security of this Nation.
(c)The Congress further declares that in a free society the obligations and privileges of serving in the armed forces and the reserve components thereof should be shared generally, in accordance with a system of selection which is fair and just, and which is consistent with the maintenance of an effective national economy.
(d)The Congress further declares, in accordance with our traditional military policy as expressed in the National Defense Act of 1916, as amended, that it is essential that the strength and organization of the National Guard, both Ground and Air, as an integral part of the first line defenses of this Nation, be at all times maintained and assured.To this end, it is the intent of the Congress that whenever Congress shall determine that units and organizations are needed for the national security in excess of those of the Regular components of the Ground Forces and the Air Forces, and those in active service under this chapter, the National Guard of the United States, both Ground and Air, or such part thereof as may be necessary, together with such units of the Reserve components as are necessary for a balanced force, shall be ordered to active Federal service and continued therein so long as such necessity exists.
(e)The Congress further declares that adequate provision for national security requires maximum effort in the fields of scientific research and development, and the fullest possible utilization of the Nation’s technological, scientific, and other critical manpower resources.
(f)The Congress further declares that the Selective Service System should remain administratively independent of any other agency, including the Department of Defense.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Military Selective Service Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is act
June 24, 1948, ch. 625, 62 Stat. 604. Act was comprised of titles I and II, prior to repeal of title II by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 53, 70A Stat. 641. Title I of the Act is classified principally to this chapter. Title II of the Act was classified to the Articles of War set out in former Title 10, Army and Air Force, to section 61, 61a, 62a, 65, and 652a of former Title 10, and to section 180 of former Title 14, Coast Guard, prior to repeal. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. The National Defense Act of 1916, referred to in subsec. (d), is act
June 3, 1916, ch. 134, 39 Stat. 166, which was classified generally throughout former Title 10, Army and Air Force, prior to repeal by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 53, 70A Stat. 641, and reenactment as parts of Title 10, Armed Forces, and Title 32, National Guard. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of act
June 24, 1948, ch. 625, 62 Stat. 604, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 451 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Amendments
1979—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 96–107 added subsec. (f). 1971—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–129 substituted “Military Selective Service Act” for “Military Selective Service Act of 1967”. 1967—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–40 substituted “Military Selective Service Act of 1967” for “Universal Military Training and Service Act”. 1951—Subsec. (a). Act June 19, 1951, substituted “Universal Military Training and Service Act” for “Selective Service Act of 1948”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title
of 1969 Amendment Pub. L. 91–124, § 1, Nov. 26, 1969, 83 Stat. 220, provided: “That this Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Selective Service Amendment Act of 1969’.”
Short Title
of 1955 AmendmentAct June 30, 1955, ch. 250, § 1, 69 Stat. 223, provided: “That this Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘1955
Amendments
to the Universal Military Training and Service Act’.”
Short Title
of 1951 AmendmentAct June 19, 1951, ch. 144, title I, § 7, 65 Stat. 89, provided that: “This title [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘1951
Amendments
to the Universal Military Training and Service Act’.”
Short Title
of 1950 AmendmentAct Sept. 9, 1950, ch. 939, 64 Stat. 826, which amended section 3803 of this title, is popularly known as the “Doctors Draft Act”. Act
June 30, 1950, ch. 445, § 4, 64 Stat. 319, provided that: “This Act [see Tables for classification] may be cited as the ‘Selective Service Extension Act of 1950’.” SeparabilityAct
June 19, 1951, ch. 144, title I, § 5, 65 Stat. 88, provided that: “If any provisions of this Act [see Tables for classification] or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the Act and of the application of such provision to other persons and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
50 U.S.C. § 3801
Title 50 — War and National Defense
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73