{"id":2088382,"date":"2023-11-02T17:22:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T21:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gop-targets-pentagon-policy-chief-nominee-in-bid-to-break-tuberville-logjam\/"},"modified":"2023-11-02T17:35:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T21:35:10","slug":"senate-gop-targets-pentagon-policy-chief-nominee-in-bid-to-break-tuberville-logjam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gop-targets-pentagon-policy-chief-nominee-in-bid-to-break-tuberville-logjam\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Republicans aim to challenge the Pentagon policy chief nominee in an effort to resolve the Tuberville deadlock."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsenate-gop-targets-pentagon-policy-chief-nominee-in-bid-to-break-tuberville-logjam%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2088382&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Senate Republicans Push for Narrowing \u200cHold on Pentagon \u2063Promotions<\/h2>\n<p>Senate Republicans are urging Sen. Tommy \u200dTuberville (R-AL) to narrow his hold on Pentagon \u2064promotions to civilian nominees, with the White House&#8217;s pick for policy chief as\u2062 their top target.<\/p>\n<p>Tuberville has\u200c been blocking the Senate from quickly \u200capproving hundreds of nominations since March in protest of the Pentagon&#8217;s decision to pay for the travel expenses of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-biden-slams-alabama-sen-tommy-tuberville-for-pentagon-hold-up-its-bizarre\/\" title=\"Biden criticizes Tuberville's Pentagon delay as 'strange'.\">servicewomen seeking abortions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans strongly oppose the policy, which they view \u2062as a way to bypass \u2063the federal ban on taxpayer funding for abortions. However, they have grown frustrated with \u2062Tuberville&#8217;s tactics, arguing that they unfairly punish uniformed officers and their families who have no involvement in the decision.<\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday\u2063 night, tensions reached a boiling \u2062point as a group\u200b of Republican defense hawks attempted to break the logjam on the Senate floor, but their efforts were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n<p>Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who led the protest,\u200d have also been engaged in less \u2063heated discussions with Tuberville to find a resolution to the impasse.<\/p>\n<p>Tuberville has \u200dbeen offered a vote to reverse the policy, and there have been talks of lifting the \u2064holds for\u2063 all but high-ranking nominees. However, the\u2062 latest push is to end the blockade with one exception: the nomination of Derek Chollet, the White \u2062House&#8217;s\u200c choice for undersecretary of defense for policy.<\/p>\n<p>Chollet&#8217;s nomination is yet to be \u200dapproved by the Armed Services Committee, but if it is, Sullivan plans to place a\u2064 hold on him. This move\u2063 reflects a desire to \u200bshift the hold\u2063 to administrative appointees, considering the position as tailor-made to Republicans&#8217; opposition to the abortion policy.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>&#8220;He is \u2062the No. 3 guy in\u200d the Pentagon, and \u200dhe&#8217;s the undersecretary for policy. He \u2063is the exact \u200bguy we should put a hold\u2064 on if you care \u2064about\u2062 this issue,&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Sullivan, a reservist in the Marine Corps, told the Washington\u2062 Examiner.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Senate Republicans have been discussing this idea since Chollet&#8217;s hearing, according\u200d to Ernst.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h3>&#8220;The focus of holds should be on political\u200c nominees, not the men and women in uniform that have nothing to do with the policy,&#8221;<\/h3>\n<p>Ernst, a member of Senate\u200c GOP \u2062leadership who served in the Iowa National Guard, \u200dtold the Washington Examiner. <strong>&#8220;So, we will be looking at this other\u200b nominee, again, a political civilian nominee, and we&#8217;ve offered \u2063to Coach to take this person and put a hold\u200b on this person and then let the military nominees go.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Tuberville has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-gop-targets-pentagon-policy-chief-nominee-in-bid-to-break-tuberville-logjam\/\" title=\"Senate Republicans aim to challenge the Pentagon policy chief nominee in an effort to resolve the Tuberville deadlock.\">rejected previous compromise attempts<\/a>, insisting that the Pentagon \u200bmust first reverse what he \u2062considers to be an unconstitutional policy.<\/p>\n<p>This refusal puts Senate Republicans back at square one. While the conference could support \u200ca \u200cDemocratic resolution to circumvent the blockade, there are not \u2063yet enough GOP votes for it to pass.<\/p>\n<p>However, discussions among Senate Republicans suggest that the chamber\u2064 may\u2062 be heading in that direction \u2063given Tuberville&#8217;s unwavering stance.<\/p>\n<p>Ernst and Sullivan intend to\u2063 keep pressure on Tuberville, with Sullivan considering another marathon session on the Senate floor next \u2062week. Ernst has also collected\u200b signatures to force votes on two \u200dnominees caught up in Tuberville&#8217;s blockade.<\/p>\n<p>The hope is that the pressure campaign, combined\u200d with the threat of being circumvented, will change Tuberville&#8217;s mind and open up several possible off-ramps.\u2062 Another option still on the table is a \u200dvote to reverse the policy, \u2064although it would likely fail due to Democrats&#8217; control of the \u200dchamber.<\/p>\n<p>The conference plans to hold a lunch early next\u200d week to discuss a path forward.<\/p>\n<p>Aside from the abortion policy, Senate Republicans were already disappointed with Chollet due to his role in the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan \u2062and his support for \u200cthe Iran nuclear deal.<\/p>\n<p>There is some hope among Republicans that\u200b Chollet&#8217;s hearing performance could jeopardize his\u2063 nomination with Democrats, potentially giving Tuberville a\u200d face-saving win if he redirects \u2062his holds. However, this hope is\u200c purely speculative.<\/p>\n<p>If\u2064 Chollet advances out of\u2063 committee, Senate Democrats could still schedule a vote on his nomination despite the hold, although it would slow down the consideration of the promotion.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> Why is\u200b Derek Chollet being targeted as the top hold for Senate Republicans?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Derek \u200cChollet,\u2063 as the top target for\u200c our hold.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This proposed shift in strategy could help alleviate \u200dthe concerns of Senate Republicans while still sending a strong\u2064 message about their opposition to the Pentagon&#8217;s policy. By targeting political nominees like Chollet, who have a direct role in shaping and implementing the policy, Republicans can \u200dmaintain their stance without unfairly punishing uniformed officers and their families.<\/p>\n<p>This impasse \u200cover Pentagon promotions has become a contentious issue within the Senate, pitting\u200b Republicans against one another. On one side, \u2064some see Tuberville&#8217;s hold as a necessary \u200dstand against what they believe is an improper use of taxpayer funds to support\u2064 abortions. On the \u2063other side, Republicans are concerned about the unintended consequences of Tuberville&#8217;s tactics, particularly when it comes to delaying important nominations and hindering\u200b the efficiency of the Pentagon.<\/p>\n<p>Sens. Ernst and Sullivan have been leading the charge to find a resolution to this impasse. Their\u2062 proposal to narrow the hold \u200dto include only political nominees is a step towards <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-un-pick-urges-continued-u-s-presence-in-chinese-led-panels\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s UN pick urges continued U.S. presence in Chinese-led panels\">finding common ground<\/a> within their party. This approach recognizes the need to address their concerns about the policy, while also acknowledging the importance of promoting \u200bthe smooth \u2063functioning of the Pentagon.<\/p>\n<p>By focusing their hold on\u200b Chollet&#8217;s nomination, Senate Republicans are highlighting the specific role he would play in implementing the Pentagon&#8217;s policy. As the undersecretary of defense for policy, Chollet \u200bwould have a significant influence on the decision-making process. Holding \u2062his nomination would\u2062 send\u2064 a clear message\u2064 about \u2062their opposition to the policy, without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-the-federal-reserves-changing-approach-toward-rate-hikes-could-mean-for-the-economy\/\" title=\"What The Federal Reserve\u2019s Changing Approach Toward Rate Hikes Could Mean For The Economy\">causing undue harm<\/a> to other officers and their families.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to\u2064 note that Chollet&#8217;s nomination \u200bhas yet to be approved by the Armed Services Committee. If and when it moves forward, Sullivan plans to place a hold on\u2062 him.\u200b This deliberate action shows the intention of Senate Republicans to strategically target nominees\u200d who are directly\u2063 involved in the policy they oppose.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the proposed shift\u2064 in strategy by\u2062 Senate Republicans regarding Pentagon promotions\u200c is a sign of ongoing negotiations and attempts to find a\u2064 resolution to this impasse. By narrowing their hold \u200cto political\u200c nominees like Derek Chollet, Republicans aim to address their concerns about the\u200c Pentagon&#8217;s policy while minimizing the negative impact on uniformed officers \u200cand their families. As discussions continue, it remains to be seen whether \u2063this approach will be successful in achieving a resolution that satisfies\u200c all parties involved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senate Republicans are pressuring Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) to limit his hold on Pentagon promotions to civilian nominees. Their main focus is the White House&#8217;s choice for policy chief. Tuberville has been blocking Senate approval of numerous nominations since March, in response to the Pentagon&#8217;s travel expense funding.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2088383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2088382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2088382"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2088382\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2088383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2088382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2088382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2088382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}