Senate Democrats pushed ahead Tuesday with a resolution that would allow for the quick confirmation of hundreds of military nominees, an attempt to maneuver around a blockade from Sen. Tommy Tuberville over a Pentagon abortion policy.
Quick Read
- Senate Democrats’ Resolution for Military Nominations: Senate Democrats are advancing a resolution to enable swift confirmation of hundreds of military nominees, circumventing Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s blockade over a Pentagon abortion policy.
- Tuberville’s Hold Affecting Nominations: Tuberville’s blanket hold has left almost 400 military nominations in limbo, impacting senior military officer confirmations and promotions, and causing bipartisan frustration.
- Schumer’s Criticism of Tuberville: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Tuberville’s actions, accusing him of bringing the Senate to a new low.
- Resolution to Confirm Nominees in Groups: The resolution, passed by the Senate Rules Committee, would allow for group confirmations of military nominees for the rest of the congressional term, bypassing individual objections.
- Republican Opposition and McConnell’s Stance: While some Republicans oppose the resolution as potentially weakening minority powers in the Senate, Mitch McConnell criticized Tuberville’s holds but indicated opposition to the Democratic resolution at this time.
- Tuberville’s Negotiation Willingness: Tuberville, who has been holding the nominations since February, is reportedly open to negotiations but hasn’t indicated a willingness to end the holds.
- GOP Frustration and Floor Confrontation: Senate Republicans, frustrated with Tuberville, confronted him on the Senate floor, unsuccessfully attempting to call up 61 military nominations.
- Reason for Tuberville’s Blockade: Tuberville opposes new Pentagon rules allowing travel reimbursement for service members seeking out-of-state abortions or reproductive care, following the Supreme Court’s overturning of the nationwide abortion right.
- Impact on Military Readiness and Families: The blockade has been criticized by senior military officials and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for threatening national security and burdening military families.
The Associated Press has the story:
Senate panel takes a step toward ending Sen. Tuberville’s blockade of military nominations
Newslooks- WASHINGTON (AP)
Senate Democrats pushed ahead Tuesday with a resolution that would allow for the quick confirmation of hundreds of military nominees, an attempt to maneuver around a blockade from Sen. Tommy Tuberville over a Pentagon abortion policy.
Almost 400 military nominations are in limbo, and the number is growing, due to Tuberville’s blanket hold on confirmations and promotions for senior military officers. Despite bipartisan outrage and pressure from members of his own party, the Alabama senator has dug in as he fights the Pentagon to end its abortion policy. It’s a stance that has left key national security positions unfilled and military families with an uncertain path forward.
“There has been a lot of negativity and dysfunction in the Senate these days, but Senator Tuberville has singlehandedly brought the Senate to a new low,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at the committee meeting.
The Senate Rules Committee voted 9-7 to approve a resolution that would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term. The Senate has traditionally confirmed large batches of military officers together, but that process can be upended by just one senator who objects.
The resolution will now head to the Senate floor for a vote, where Democrats will need at least nine Republican votes for passage. While Republicans on the rules panel opposed the measure, arguing that the move could erode the powers of the minority in the Senate, some have signaled they might change their minds if Tuberville does not drop the holds before then.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who criticized Tuberville’s holds before the committee vote, said he would oppose the Democratic resolution “at this particular moment.”
Of Tuberville, McConnell said that “unfortunately, our colleague has chosen instead to exert his leverage on career military officers with no influence over this administration’s policy priorities.”
Tuberville has said he is open to negotiating an end to his holds on almost 400 military nominees, which he first announced in February. But he has not yet signaled that he will drop them.
Frustrated Senate Republicans challenged Tuberville to drop the holds and confronted him on the floor for more than four hours, calling up 61 of the military nominations only for Tuberville to stand up and object every time.
Tuberville is blocking the nominations in opposition to new Pentagon rules that allow reimbursement for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted the new rules after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion, and some states have limited or banned the procedure.
Senior military officials have warned repeatedly that Tuberville’s blockade threatens readiness and national security. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the delays are hurting readiness and have “unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve.”
