Senate Committee Moves To End Tuberville’s Blockade of Military Promotions

In an unprecedented move aimed at ending Senator Tuberville’s months-long blockade of military promotions, the Senate will soon consider a rule change to allow for the general and flag officers to be considered on the floor. On Tuesday, the Senate Rules Committee voted along party lines to adopt a temporary rule change — known as a standing order in parliamentary terms — that will allow the Senate to vote on the more than 350 officers awaiting confirmation in a single vote. The Rules Committee voted 9 to 7 in favor of the temporary rule change. Senator Schumer said before the vote that he did not want to take this step but has been forced to because Mr. Tuberville refuses to relent in his blockade despite pleas from his fellow Republicans. “One member of the Senate, the senior senator from Alabama, has defied long-standing Senate custom and prevented the swift bipartisan confirmation of hundreds of generals and flag officers,” Mr. Schumer said Tuesday. “What Senator Tuberville is truly an anomaly that does much harm and requires a response. … I will bring it to the floor shortly for a vote.”The vote on the military confirmations could happen as soon as Wednesday. Opposition from Senate Republicans, though, has been fierce — even among those who loathe Mr. Tuberville’s blockade. In order to advance the military promotions, 60 votes would be required. “We are holding them hostage,” a 23-year veteran of the Army, Senator Ernst, said of the nominees after she and her fellow Senate veterans tried to lift the blockade. “This is unacceptable. … We are going to keep working.” She did tell reporters, though, that changing rules at this time would be akin to “breaking the United States Senate.”Mr. Tuberville has consistently defended his blockade, saying he does not believe that military readiness has been affected by his actions. “There is no institution I honor more in this world than the United States military,” Mr. Tuberville said. “The disagreement we’re having today is about tactics.”Mr. Tuberville began his unprecedented hold earlier this year after the Biden administration began using federal dollars to fund servicemembers’ paid time off and travel expenses when they or their dependents travel out of state from where they are posted in order to obtain abortions. Ms. Ernst says Mr. Tuberville is handling this completely the wrong way. She argues that any challenge to the military’s abortion policies must be done by private organizations rather than have a senator try to twist the arm of the Department of Defense. “If they believe in life, they should be stepping up and challenging this darn policy,” she told reporters. “We feel it’s illegal. They feel it’s illegal, then do something about it.”

Senate Committee Moves To End Tuberville’s Blockade of Military Promotions

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