Judge rules US military draft only for men unconstitutional

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A court ruling in Texas declaring the U.S. military draft system unconstitutional because it applies only to men has left observers waiting to see what the government does next.

The Justice Department declined comment Monday on the decision that has renewed attention over whether American women should be eligible for a military draft.

U.S. District Judge Gray Miller didn’t order any immediate action in his decision Friday. But he said the time to “discuss the place of women in the Armed Services” has passed.

Former Nevada Rep. Joe Heck is leading a commission looking into whether the draft is still needed. He said Monday the court ruling won’t influence their ultimate recommendations to Congress.

The lawsuit was brought by the National Coalition for Men, a men’s rights group.

Slate Magazine notes, nearly 23 years ago, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg issued a landmark decision invalidating the Virginia Military Institute’s exclusion of women as a violation of equal protection.