{"id":2101118,"date":"2023-11-16T17:06:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T22:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lee-blasts-gop-colleagues-protesting-tuberville-hold-i-cant-believe-anybody-buys-this-crap\/"},"modified":"2023-11-16T17:09:50","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T22:09:50","slug":"mike-lee-blasts-gop-colleagues-protesting-tuberville-hold-i-cant-believe-anybody-buys-this-crap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lee-blasts-gop-colleagues-protesting-tuberville-hold-i-cant-believe-anybody-buys-this-crap\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Lee criticizes GOP colleagues protesting Tuberville hold, questioning their credibility."},"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\">22<\/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%2Fmike-lee-blasts-gop-colleagues-protesting-tuberville-hold-i-cant-believe-anybody-buys-this-crap%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=2101118&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>Republican Senators Protest Pentagon&#8217;s Abortion Policy \u200dto Maintain Hold on Military\u200d Nominations<\/h2>\n<p>Utah\u200b Republican\u2063 Sen. Mike Lee joined\u2064 GOP Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville late Thursday night to maintain\u2063 a hold on military nominations in protest of the Pentagon\u2019s radical abortion policy.<\/p>\n<p>After the upper chamber \u2062approved \u2062a series \u200bof late-night proposals, including a last-minute measure to fund the government and avoid \u200da \u200cshutdown, several Republicans\u2064 led by Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan stood up to circumvent Tuberville\u2019s\u200c hold and confirm nominees. Sullivan was joined by GOP Sens.\u2064 Joni Ernst of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Todd Young of Indiana.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u200d were down on the \u200dfloor weeks \u200cago, and at\u200c that time, we promised military members \u200band their families \u200cthat\u2064 we\u200d had their back, that we would keep coming down to the Senate floor to try\u2064 to\u2064 move \u200dforward their nominations \u2063and confirmations\u2064 that have been stalled,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cTonight, we\u2019re going to \u2063bring\u2063 up some more members.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sullivan slammed \u2062his Alabama colleague for jeopardizing\u200b military morale and readiness \u2063when overseas threats in China and the Middle East continue to raise the risk of\u200b global conflict.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wish we could resolve this,\u201d \u2064Sullivan said. \u201cI\u2019m on the \u200cfloor here more\u2064 out of sadness and frustration than anger. I really \u2062do wish with my colleague, Senator Tuberville, we can find \u2064a way forward on this fast, to \u2062turn to the even bigger readiness problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers spent the next three hours trying to ram through stalled military promotions but \u200cwere blocked by Lee,\u200c who chairs the Senate Steering Committee and \u2063spoke at length in defense of Tuberville\u2019s hold with each\u2063 objection. Tuberville, \u200dLee said, has \u201cchosen a tactic that is legitimate, \u200band\u200c he has \u200bevery right to deploy under the rules of the Senate, rules that go back nearly two and a half centuries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Tuberville \u2063placed a hold on \u200dmilitary \u200bpromotions\u2062 earlier this year when the Defense Department implemented a new policy allowing servicemembers three weeks \u200dof paid leave for abortion-related travel. Federal law, however, prohibits U.S.\u200b tax dollars from funding \u2064abortion. According to the Pentagon, more \u2062than 450\u2064 military promotions have \u200bbeen put on hold since the Alabama lawmaker began\u2062 pressuring the Biden administration to reverse \u2064course.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou cannot use\u2063 Department of Defense funds or Department of Defense\u200b facilities or property for abortion,\u201d Lee said on the Senate floor. \u200c\u201cYou cannot do that in the absence of\u200d rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is in jeopardy unless the \u200dabortion happens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t legislate from the E-ring of\u200c the Pentagon no matter how strongly he feels, no matter how compelling his urge to facilitate\u200d the performance of abortion using\u2062 federal funds contrary to public opinion, contrary to federal law. He does not have that power. And shame on him,\u201d Lee added forcefully. \u201cIt is to his\u200d everlasting shame that he would arrogate to himself that power and then have\u2062 the audacity to blame \u200dSenator Tuberville for the slowdown that \u200dhe himself knowingly, willfully, shamefully created.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The senior \u200dsenator from \u200bUtah also \u200bpushed back on accusations from Tuberville\u2019s opponents that such holds have \u2063jeopardized military readiness.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf this\u200b is affecting\u2063 military readiness, so be it,\u201d Lee said, reminding\u200b colleagues\u2063 that Democrats who run the \u200cWhite House and the Pentagon can \u201cend it \u2064tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe talk about military\u200d readiness; \u2063why on Earth are we\u2064 not aiming \u200cour remarks at President Biden or at Secretary [Lloyd Austin]?\u201d\u200c Lee said. \u200c\u201cThey \u200ball have the ability to\u200c end this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sullivan, Graham, Young, and Ernst previously launched\u2064 an effort to counter Tuberville\u2019s hold \u200bat the\u2062 start of the month, arguing the senator\u2019s tactic is also hurting retention efforts. They stopped bringing new nominations to the floor once it was clear Senator Lee\u200b intended to essentially filibuster with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lee-blasts-gop-colleagues-protesting-tuberville-hold-i-cant-believe-anybody-buys-this-crap\/\" title=\"Mike Lee criticizes GOP colleagues protesting Tuberville hold, questioning their credibility.\">half-hour-long speeches<\/a> with each objection.<\/p>\n<p>In his first\u200d speech early Thursday morning, \u200dLee complained about Republicans buying \u200dinto the\u2063 administration\u2019s narrative that effective leadership sabotaged the military.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t believe anybody buys this crap,\u201d \u2063Lee said. \u201cI really\u2063 can\u2019t \u2014 \u200blet\u200c alone anyone from the same \u2064party as \u2064Senator Tuberville.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3>About the\u200d Author:<\/h3>\n<p>Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for The Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux, a conservative newsletter \u200don culture, health, and wellness. He has also\u2062 written for The\u2062 Washington Examiner and The Daily Signal. His work \u2062has also been\u200d featured in Real Clear Politics and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George\u200c Washington University where\u200d he\u2062 majored in political science \u200band\u200d minored in journalism. Follow \u200bhim on Twitter\u200b at <strong>@JusticeTristan<\/strong> or contact him at <strong>Tristan@thefederalist.com<\/strong>. \u2062Sign up for Tristan&#8217;s email newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/socialjusticeredux.substack.com\/about\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the consequences\u2064 for the military and\u2063 its members as the abortion policy debate continues<\/h2>\n<p><span>  N \u200cin military promotions.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats\u2063, however, argue that Tuberville&#8217;s hold is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/all-democrats-to-boycott-biden-border-crisis-congressional-hearing-in-texas\/\" title=\"All Democrats to boycott Biden border crisis congressional hearing in Texas\">politically motivated move<\/a> to hinder the Biden administration&#8217;s agenda. They argue that the Pentagon&#8217;s abortion policy is in line with the administration&#8217;s commitment to reproductive rights and healthcare access for all individuals,\u2062 including servicemembers.<\/p>\n<p>Efforts to confirm military nominees have been further complicated\u2063 by the ongoing debate over abortion rights in the country. The issue has long been a\u200b divisive\u200b one, with Republicans advocating \u200bfor stricter regulations and limitations, while Democrats push for \u2064expanded access and reproductive \u200crights. The debate \u2062has \u2063intensified \u200din recent months, as several conservative states have\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/north-carolina-governor-loses-abortion-veto-override-battle-as-gop-supermajorities-hold\/\" title=\"NC governor loses abortion veto override as GOP keeps supermajorities.\">passed restrictive abortion laws<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-declares-victory-over-us-in-un-address-hailing-new-international-order\/\" title=\"Iran claims victory over US in UN speech, celebrates new 'global order'.\">sparking nationwide protests<\/a> and legal challenges.<\/p>\n<p>The hold on military \u200bnominations by\u2063 Republican senators highlights the \u2062increasingly polarizing nature of the abortion debate, as well as the broader political struggle \u200dover control of\u200c government institutions. With slim majorities\u200d in both the Senate and the House, each party is vying to maintain influence and exert pressure \u200don policy decisions.<\/p>\n<p>While\u200d the Pentagon&#8217;s abortion policy may not be directly \u200crelated to military nominations, it has become a sticking point\u200c for Republican \u2062senators\u2063 who view it as a departure \u200bfrom traditional conservative values\u2062 and a violation of federal law. Their protest\u2063 is an attempt to exert leverage\u2062 and maintain control over military nominations, using their power as elected officials to push \u2064for policy changes.<\/p>\n<p>As the debate continues, the future\u200b of military \u200bnominations remains uncertain. Tuberville&#8217;s\u200b hold, supported by other \u200cRepublicans, has stalled the confirmation of hundreds of military promotions, creating a backlog that will need to be addressed. It remains to be seen\u200c whether a resolution \u2062can be \u200dreached, or if the issue\u200d will continue to be mired in partisan politics and gridlock.<\/p>\n<p>One \u2063thing is clear \u2014 \u2062the abortion policy \u2062of the Pentagon has become a battleground\u200c for Republican\u200c senators seeking to maintain their hold on military nominations. As the debate unfolds, the consequences for the military and its members hang in the balance, highlighting the\u200d complex interplay between politics, policy,\u2064 and\u200c the armed forces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Utah Sen. Mike Lee and Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, both Republicans, united to retain control over military nominations, opposing the Pentagon&#8217;s extreme abortion policy. The Senate passed various late-night proposals, including funding to avert a government shutdown. Several Republicans, including Lee and Tuberville, took the lead in this effort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":2101119,"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":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2101118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"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\/2101118","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\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2101118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2101118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2101119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2101118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2101118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2101118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}