White House says

draft won’t be used
The United States government has not held a draft since 1973, and representatives from both the White House and the Pentagon have said a draft will not go into effect despite America’s response to the terrorist attacks.
“The focus of this war will be more on intelligence than massive manpower,” said Kristie Greco, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Eugene.
However, every male citizen of the United States is required by federal law to register for Selective Services through the U.S. Military within 30 days of his 18th birthday. If the President wishes to instate a draft, he must do so by an act of Congress, at which time 20-year-old men will be chosen through lottery from the Selective Service System. Once a man reaches age 26, he will no longer be drafted or be able to register.
Penalties for not registering could range from a $250,000 fine to a prison term of up to five years, or both. Often this is not a focus of the government, said Lew Brodsky, the director of public and congressional affairs for the Selective Service System. Since overall compliance is high, with 88 percent of males ages 18 to 25 registered for selective services, there have not been any unregistered men prosecuted since before 1990.
“The government said it would not actively pursue those who did not register, but it could resume pursuance of these subjects at any time,” Brodsky said.
Those who do not register are unable to receive federal student aid, cannot become citizens (if they are aliens) and cannot work in most federal jobs, Brodsky said.
Men who are 20 years old during the calendar year a draft is instated are the first to be called upon. They are called through a lottery and then examined. Brodsky said about 50 percent of those who are examined are found unfit to serve.

— Lindsay Buchele