Hillary Clinton said she backs legislation requiring women to register for the draft, moments before the Senate voted in favor of the measure.
"I do support that," Clinton told The Huffington Post on Wednesday.
The provision would have little practical impact, at least in the short-term. The United States has relied on an all-volunteer army since 1973, which Clinton said she continues to favor.
"I am on record as supporting the all-volunteer military, which I think at this time does serve our country well," she said. "And I am very committed to supporting and really lifting up the men and women in uniform and their families."
But requiring women to register for the draft has become a symbolic measure for many lawmakers, buttressing the argument that there is not an inherent gender component to one's ability to serve in the military.
The Senate voted 85 to 13 on Tuesday to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which included the provision requiring women between the ages of 18 and 25 to sign up to serve their country. As HuffPost's Jennifer Bendery noted, it was a rare demonstration of bipartisan support for such a culturally significant milestone.
“I support it,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who served in the Air Force for years, told HuffPost last month. “I don’t think you want to take half your population off the sidelines in case of a national emergency.”
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) added that “it’s just a matter of time” until women are treated equally in the military.
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