Tuberville eases stance on military holds, shifts focus to ‘woke’ Biden nominees
Sen. Tommy Tuberville May Drop Blockade of Military Promotions
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has hinted that he may finally lift his nearly 10-month blockade of military promotions. Senate Republicans have been searching for a solution for months, and their patience is wearing thin.
Tuberville has been adamant that he will not release his hold on every nominee, continuing to enforce holds on Biden nominees he deems “woke.” Since March, he has been blocking nominations in protest of the Defense Department’s new abortion policy, causing a delay for over 300 top military nominees.
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“Now, we’re working towards getting the promotions over with, we need to get them promoted,” Tuberville stated during a press conference. ”We are going through all the people that are up for promotion. We will promote people in the very near future. I don’t know how many people at one time. I’d like to get it done here in the next week or so.”
The controversy revolves around the Pentagon’s decision to cover travel expenses for service members seeking abortions out of state due to restrictions in their home states. Tuberville believes this policy, implemented in response to the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, violates federal law, which limits federal funding of abortions to cases of rape, incest, or threats to the mother’s life. He has vowed to continue blocking the nominations of general and flag officers until the Pentagon reverses the policy.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has threatened to bring a resolution to the floor that would allow the consideration of 350 nonpolitical military promotions at once, bypassing Tuberville’s blockade.
The plan would temporarily change the Senate’s procedure without making a permanent rule change, enabling most of the stalled promotions to be considered in large batches. However, major promotions, such as those for Joint Chiefs of Staff, would still require individual votes.
“We’re willing to let the Republicans solve this on their own,” Schumer declared during a recent speech. “If Republicans cannot convince Sen. Tuberville to stand down quickly, we will hold a vote on our resolution to confirm these nominees before the year ends.”
The backlog of Pentagon nominees, which could reach 650 by year-end, is typically approved without objection in batches. While Tuberville lacks the power to completely block promotions, Schumer can put individual nominations up for a vote. However, advancing each nomination one by one would consume valuable floor time.
At one point, Republican lawmakers considered suing the Pentagon to overturn the policy or including provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act to invalidate it. However, these efforts failed in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Before the Thanksgiving break, a group of Republican senators, many of whom serve on the Armed Services Committee, attempted to advance nominees through unanimous consent, but Tuberville blocked every attempt.
Now, some Republicans are signaling that they would vote for the resolution as a last resort. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who sits on the Armed Services Committee, stated, “The standing order is not my personal preference, but at the end of the day, this is having a really, really negative impact on readiness and morale during a very dangerous time.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) also expressed support for the resolution if a solution is not reached by the new year.
Tuberville argues that Schumer does not have the votes to temporarily change the Senate rules and overcome his holds. To proceed with this method, 60 votes are required, meaning nine Republicans would need to join all Democrats.
While many Republicans agree with Tuberville’s stance on the Pentagon policy, they are now acknowledging that the blockade could ultimately harm military readiness worldwide.
“There are hundreds of officers whose nominations are being held up, and most of them have no role in deciding or implementing this policy,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). “Sen. Tuberville has committed to finding a resolution that will allow the majority of those nominations to proceed because it’s unfair to punish officers who have dedicated their lives to defending our nation.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a former member of Senate leadership, believes the standoff will soon come to an end, although the exact resolution remains uncertain.
“There’s nothing like a deadline to get us to act. Sen. Schumer is going to put the standing rule vote on the floor soon, so I think that’s what is precipitating this action,” Cornyn explained.
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Why does the Pentagon argue that covering travel expenses for service members seeking abortions is necessary in order to ensure equal access to healthcare, and how do they defend their policy as being in compliance with federal law?
Senate Republicans led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) met with Tuberville to discuss the issue and find a resolution. Tuberville has expressed his willingness to work towards a compromise but has not yet offered any specific details.
The Pentagon has defended its decision to cover travel expenses for service members seeking abortions, arguing that it is a necessary accommodation to ensure equal access to healthcare for all service members. They maintain that their policy is in compliance with federal law.
Tensions between Tuberville and his Republican colleagues are rising as the backlog of military promotions continues to grow. Many Republicans argue that Tuberville’s blockade is harming national security by delaying the advancement of highly qualified officers. They fear that if a resolution is not reached soon, the military will be left with a significant leadership vacuum.
The controversy over the Pentagon’s abortion policy highlights the broader ideological divisions within the Republican Party. While many Republicans are supportive of Tuberville’s stance against what they see as an overreach of federal power, others are concerned that his actions are hindering the functioning of the military and undermining national security.
As the Senate reconvenes after the Thanksgiving break, all eyes will be on Tuberville and his Republican colleagues to see if they can find a solution to the issue of military promotions. The clock is ticking, and the pressure is mounting. The country, and particularly the military, cannot afford any further delays.
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