Establishment; construction; appointment of Director; termination and reestablishment of Office of Selective Service Records
Administrative provisions
Delegation of President’s authority
The President is authorized to delegate any authority vested in him under this chapter, and to provide for the subdelegation of any such authority.
Acceptance of gifts and voluntary services
In the administration of this chapter, gifts of supplies, equipment, and voluntary services may be accepted.
Assignment of armed forces personnel
The total number of armed forces personnel assigned to the Selective Service System under subsection (b)(2) at any time may not be less than the number of such personnel determined by the Director of Selective Service to be necessary, but not to exceed 745 persons, except that the President may assign additional armed forces personnel to the Selective Service System during a time of war or a national emergency declared by Congress or the President.
Settlement of travel claims, etc.
The Director is authorized to make final settlement of individual claims, for amounts not exceeding $500, for travel and other expenses of uncompensated personnel of the Office of Selective Service Records, or the Selective Service System, incurred while in the performance of official duties, without regard to other provisions of law governing the travel of civilian employees of the Federal Government.
Reports to Congress
The Director of Selective Service shall submit to the Congress annually a written report covering the operation of the Selective Service System and such report shall include, by States, information as to the number of persons registered under this Act; the number of persons inducted in to the military service under this Act; and the number of deferments granted under this Act and the basis for such deferments; and such other specific kinds of information as the Congress may from time to time request.
Maintenance of System after institution of all volunteer program for meeting manpower needs
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June 24, 1948, ch. 62562 Stat. 618Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 78263 Stat. 972June 30, 1950, ch. 445, § 364 Stat. 319Sept. 27, 1950, ch. 1059, § 3(b)64 Stat. 1074June 19, 1951, ch. 14465 Stat. 87Pub. L. 90–40, § 1(8)81 Stat. 104Pub. L. 92–129, title I, § 101(a)(24)85 Stat. 351Pub. L. 93–176, § 387 Stat. 693Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 507(d)94 Stat. 2919Pub. L. 97–60, title II, § 20895 Stat. 1008Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 23498 Stat. 2031Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title VII, § 715101 Stat. 1113Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title X, § 1091105 Stat. 1486Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title IV, § 414110 Stat. 2508Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title X, § 1062o116 Stat. 2652Pub. L. 112–166, § 2(c)(3)126 Stat. 1284Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076l126 Stat. 1956Pub. L. 113–235, div. H, title I, § 1301(d)128 Stat. 2537Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 535(b)(3)139 Stat. 872(, title I, § 10, ; , title XI, § 1106(a), ; , ; , ; , title I, § 1(u), ; –(10), , , 105; –(29), , , 352; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; ()(2), , ; , , ; (), , ; , , ; , , .)
Amendment of Subsection (b)
Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title V, § 535(b)(3)139 Stat. 872, (c), , , provided that, effective one year after , subsection (b) of this section is amended by striking “registration,”. See 2025 Amendment note below.
Editorial Notes
References in Text
act June 24, 1948, ch. 62562 Stat. 604This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) to (d), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of , , which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see Tables.
act Mar. 31, 1947, ch. 2661 Stat. 31The Act of , referred to in subsecs. (a)(4) and (b)(8), is , , which is classified as a note under this section.
act May 24, 1946, ch. 27060 Stat. 219act Sept. 12, 1950, ch. 946, title III, § 301(85)64 Stat. 843Section 14 of the Federal Employees’ Pay Act of 1946 (Public Law 390, Seventy-ninth Congress), referred to in subsec. (b)(10), is section 14 of , , which amended section 947 of former Title 5, Executive Departments and Government Officers and Employees, prior to repeal by , .
act June 24, 1948, ch. 62562 Stat. 604section 3801 of this titleThis Act, referred to in subsec. (g), is , , known as the Military Selective Service Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see References in Text note set out under and Tables.
Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 460 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.
Pub. L. 107–217, § 5(c)116 Stat. 1303In subsec. (b)(9), “sections 3111 and 3112 of title 40” substituted for “section 355, Revised Statutes, as amended” on authority of , , , the first section of which enacted Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works.
Amendments
Pub. L. 119–602025—Subsec. (b)(3). struck out “registration,” before “examination,”.
Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076lPub. L. 112–166, § 2(c)(3)2013—Subsec. (a)(3). (), made technical amendment to directory language of . See 2012 Amendment note below.
Pub. L. 112–166, § 2(c)(3)Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076l2012—Subsec. (a)(3). , as amended by (), struck out “, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate” before period at end.
Pub. L. 107–31447 Stat. 412section 15 of the Act of March 3, 193347 Stat. 15172002—Subsec. (b)(8). substituted “the Act of ” for “Public Law 26, Eightieth Congress, approved , by lease pursuant to existing statutes, except that the provisions of the Act of (), as amended by (), shall not apply to any lease entered into under the authority of this chapter”.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(b)(1)1996—Subsec. (b). , substituted “authorized to undertake the following:” for “authorized—” in introductory provisions.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(b)(2)Subsec. (b)(1). , (4), substituted “To” for “to” at beginning and a period for a semicolon at end.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(a)(1)Subsec. (b)(2). , (b)(2), (4), substituted “To” for “to” at beginning, inserted “, subject to subsection (e),” after “to employ such number of civilians, and”, and substituted a period for a semicolon at end.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(b)(2)Subsec. (b)(3) to (7). , (4), substituted “To” for “to” at beginning and a period for a semicolon at end.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(b)(3)Subsec. (b)(8), (9). , (4), substituted “Subject” for “subject” at beginning and a period for a semicolon at end.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(b)(3)Subsec. (b)(10). , substituted “Subject” for “subject” at beginning.
Pub. L. 104–201, § 414(a)(2)Subsec. (e). , added subsec. (e).
Pub. L. 102–190, § 1091(1)1991—Subsec. (b)(2). , struck out “without the approval of the Director” after “local government”.
Pub. L. 102–190, § 1091(2)Subsec. (g). , substituted “annually” for “semiannually”.
Pub. L. 100–1801987—Subsec. (h). substituted “The Selective Service system shall” for “If at any time calls under this section for the induction of persons for training and service in the Armed Forces are discontinued because the Armed Forces are placed on an all volunteer basis for meeting their active duty manpower needs, the Selective Service System, as it is constituted on , shall, nevertheless,” and directed the insertion of “(including a structure for registration and classification of persons qualified for practice or employment in a health care occupation essential to the maintenance of the Armed Forces)” after “national emergency”, which was inserted in cl. (1) as the probable intent of Congress.
Pub. L. 98–4731984—Subsec. (b)(7). substituted “release” for “parole”.
Pub. L. 97–601981—Subsec. (b)(3). struck out provision that had prohibited service on local boards or appeal boards by persons who had attained the age of 65.
Pub. L. 96–5131980—Subsec. (b)(4). substituted “however, any officer of the armed forces” for “however, any officer on the active or retired list of the armed forces, or any reserve component thereof with his consent,” and struck out “or reserve component thereof,” after “without loss of or prejudice to his status as such officer in the armed forces”.
Pub. L. 93–1761973—Subsec. (b)(4). substituted “the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, the basic pay” for “the Classification Act of 1949, the compensation” and struck out provisos that compensation of employees of local boards and appeal boards may be fixed without regard to Classification Act of 1949, that employees of local boards having supervisory duties with respect to other employees of one or more local boards be designated as the executive secretary of the local board or boards, and that the term of employment of executive secretaries not exceed ten years except when reappointed.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(24)1971—Subsec. (a)(3). , struck out provisions setting compensation of Director.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(25)Subsec. (b)(2). , inserted proviso that no State director shall serve concurrently in an elected or appointed position of a State or local government without the approval of the Director.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(26)Subsec. (b)(3). , inserted provisions requiring that local boards and their staffs perform their duties only within the counties or political subdivisions for which they are established with special provisions for intercounty boards and the collocation or multiple use of staffs with executive approval, provided for board membership proportionately representative of the area served, reduced the maximums applicable to board members from 75 years of age or 25 years of service on the board to 65 years of age or 20 years of service respectively, and authorized local boards to include among their members any citizens otherwise qualified under Presidential regulations provided they are at least 18 years of age.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(27)Subsec. (e). , struck out subsec. (e) which authorized Chief of Finance of the United States Army to act as the fiscal, disbursing, and accounting agent of Director.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(28)Subsec. (f). , substituted “$500” for “$50”.
Pub. L. 92–129, § 101(a)(29)Subsec. (h). , added subsec. (h).
Pub. L. 90–40, § 1(8)section 3811 of this title1967—Subsec. (b)(3). , prohibited disqualification of members of armed forces reserve components from serving as counselors to registrants, including services as government appeal agents, merely because of such membership in the reserve, set 25 years as maximum length of service on local and appeal boards and 75 years as age after attainment of which members may not serve, prohibited discrimination as to service on boards because of sex, with new limitations on age and sex to be implemented not later than , and prohibited judicial review of classification or processing of registrants except as a defense to a criminal prosecution instituted under , and then only after registrant has responded either affirmatively or negatively to an order to report for induction or for civilian work and to question of jurisdiction reserved to local boards, appeal boards, and President only when there is no basis in fact for classification.
Pub. L. 90–40, § 1(9)Subsec. (b)(4). , provided for designation of a local board employee having supervisory duties with respect to other employees of one or more local boards as “executive secretary”, with such employee to serve in that position for a maximum of ten years except when reappointed.
Pub. L. 90–40, § 1(10)Subsec. (g). , substituted “semiannually” for “on or before the 3rd day of January of each year,” as time for submission of Director’s written report to Congress, and inserted “such other specific kinds of information as the Congress may from time to time request” to enumeration of subjects to be covered by the report.
1951—Subsec. (b)(3). Act , § 1(u)(1), provided for one appeal board in each Federal judicial district in the United States, its territories and possessions, and such necessary panels as the President deems necessary.
Subsec. (g). Act , § 1(u)(2), added subsec. (g).
1950—Subsec. (b)(3). Act , inserted “, or separate panels thereof each consisting of three or more members” after “Such local boards” in sixth sentence.
Subsec. (b)(4). Act , struck out comma between “the compensation of” and “such officers”.
1949—Subsec. (b)(4). Act , substituted “Classification Act of 1949” for “Classification Act of 1923”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
section 1301(d) of Pub. L. 113–235section 301 of Title 44“Director of the Government Publishing Office” substituted for “Public Printer” in subsec. (b)(6) on authority of , set out as a note under , Public Printing and Documents.
Effective Date of 2025 Amendment
Pub. L. 119–60section 535(c) of Pub. L. 119–60section 3802 of this titleAmendment by effective one year after , see , set out as an Effective Date of Repeal note under .
Effective Date of 2013 Amendment
Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076l126 Stat. 1956lPub. L. 112–166(), , , provided that the amendment by section 1076() is effective as of , and as if included in as enacted.
Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
Pub. L. 112–166section 6(a) of Pub. L. 112–166section 113 of Title 6Amendment by effective 60 days after , and applicable to appointments made on and after that effective date, including any nomination pending in the Senate on that date, see , set out as a note under , Domestic Security.
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Pub. L. 98–473section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473section 3551 of Title 18Amendment by effective , and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of such amendment, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Crimes and Criminal Procedure.
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Pub. L. 96–513section 701 of Pub. L. 96–513section 101 of Title 10Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.
Effective Date of 1973 Amendment
Pub. L. 93–176, § 487 Stat. 694
Repeals
Act Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 782Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 632, cited as a credit to this section, was repealed (subject to a savings clause) by , , § 8, , 655.
Compensation Increases for Employees of Local or Appeal Boards
Pub. L. 93–176, § 287 Stat. 693
Act June 5, 1952, ch. 36966 Stat. 109section 3809 of this title, Ch. VII, § 701, , authorized increases in the rate of compensation of any employees of local or appeal boards effective as of the first day of the first pay period which began after and within ninety days from , pursuant to the authority contained in .
Compensation of Director of Selective Service
section 5315 of Title 5Compensation of Director, see , Government Organization and Employees.
Office of Selective Service Records
Act Mar. 31, 1947, ch. 2661 Stat. 31Pub. L. 96–513, title V, § 507(c)94 Stat. 2919act Sept. 16, 1940, ch. 72054 Stat. 885, ; , , , related to liquidation of the Selective Service System established by the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 [, , see Tables for classification] and establishment of the Office of Selective Service Records for the preservation of Selective Service records accumulated under the 1940 Act, prior to termination of the Office and transfer of its functions and the functions of its Director to the Selective Service System under this chapter and the Director of Selective Service under this chapter. See subsec. (a)(4) of this section.
Act Mar. 31, 1947, ch. 26[, classified as a note above, was formerly classified to sections 321 to 329 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification as this note.]
Pub. L. 85–844, title I72 Stat. 1073act Sept. 16, 1940, ch. 72054 Stat. 885, , , related to use of Selective Service System appropriations for destruction of records accumulated under the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 [, , see Tables for classification].
Pub. L. 85–844[Title I of , classified as a note above, was formerly classified to section 330 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification as this note.]
Executive Documents
Emergency Preparedness Functions
section 5195 of Title 42For assignment of certain emergency preparedness functions to the Director of Selective Service, see Parts 1, 2, and 23 of Ex. Ord. No. 12656, , 53 F.R. 47491, set out as a note under , The Public Health and Welfare.
Ex. Ord. No. 10271. Delegation of President’s Authority
section 3819 of this titleEx. Ord. No. 10271, , 16 F.R. 6659, set out as a note under , delegates to the Secretary of Defense the President’s authority to order members and units of Reserve components into active Federal service.
Ex. Ord. No. 11623. Delegation of Authority To Issue Rules and Regulations to Director of Selective Service
Ex. Ord. No. 11623, , 36 F.R. 19963, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12608, , 52 F.R. 34617; Ex. Ord. No. 13286, § 60, , 68 F.R. 10629, provided:
et seq50 U.S.C. 3801section 301 of title 3By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the United States, including the Military Selective Service Act, as amended (50 U.S. Code App., sections 451 . [now et seq.], hereinafter referred to as the Act), and of the United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. The Director of Selective Service (hereinafter referred to as the Director) is authorized to prescribe the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of the Act. Regulations heretofore issued by the President to carry out such provisions shall continue in effect until amended or revoked by the Director pursuant to the authority conferred by this Order.
SecFederal Register50 U.S.C. 3812(b). 2. (a) In carrying out the provisions of this Order, the Director shall cause any rule or regulation which he proposes to issue hereunder to be published in the as required by section 13(b) of the Act []. Prior to such publication, the Director shall request the views of the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security (when the Coast Guard is serving under the Department of Homeland Security), the Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and the Chairman of the National Selective Service Appeal Board with regard to such proposed rule or regulation, and shall allow not less than 10 days for the submission of such views before publication of the proposed rule or regulation.
Federal Register(b) Any proposed rule or regulation as published by the Director shall be furnished to the officials required to be consulted pursuant to subsection (a). The Director may (not less than 30 days after publication in the ) issue such rule or regulation as published unless, within 10 days after being furnished with the proposed rule or regulation as published, any such official shall notify the Director that he disagrees therewith and requests that the matter be referred to the President for decision.
Federal Register50 U.S.C. 3812(b)Federal Register(c) Any rule or regulation issued by the Director pursuant to this Order shall be published in the with (1) a statement reciting compliance with the prepublication requirement of section 13(b) of the Act [], and (2) either (i) approval of such rule or regulation by the President, or (ii) a certification of the Director that he has requested the views of the officials required to be consulted pursuant to subsection (a) and that none of them has timely requested that the matter be referred to the President for decision. Such rule or regulation shall be effective upon such publication in the or on such later date as may be specified therein.
Sec50 U.S.C. 3812(b). 3. Nothing in this Order shall be deemed to (i) authorize the exercise by the Director of the President’s authority to waive the requirements of section 13(b) of the Act [], or (ii) derogate from the authority of the President himself to waive the requirements of such section 13(b), or (iii) derogate from the authority of the President himself to issue such rules or regulations as he may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of the Act.