President Biden criticizes Sen. Tuberville for blocking military promotions over reproductive health policies, calling it irresponsible and a threat to national security.
Defense Sec. Austin’s office tried to arrange a call with Sen. Tuberville, but Tuberville’s office declined due to scheduling constraints.
Tuberville expressed frustration that Austin hadn’t contacted him regarding his hold on military nominations in objection to the Pentagon’s reproductive health policies.
According to a defense official, Austin and Tuberville spoke around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Tuberville’s office described the call as “productive” and “cordial,” and Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder stated that Secretary Austin discussed the negative impact of the holds on military readiness and the resulting uncertainty during the brief call.
Blocking Military Promotions
Tuberville’s block on military promotions is a protest against the Pentagon’s reproductive health policies, which include travel allowances for out-of-state abortions. As of July 7, Tuberville’s hold affected 265 senior military officers, including prominent positions like the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commandant of the Marine Corps.
According to an internal Pentagon assessment obtained by CNN, the holds impact the families of 84 officers awaiting confirmation.
This includes officers who have personally covered relocation expenses for their families, military spouses who have left their jobs in anticipation of new assignments, and children who are unable to enroll in new schools.
Tuberville’s hold disrupts the usual routine of confirming military nominations through unanimous consent. With the hold, each nomination would require an individual vote on the Senate floor, potentially causing significant delays and consuming extensive floor time, amounting to months and hundreds of hours of proceedings.
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Insisted on Not Blocking Confirmations
Tuberville claimed in a recent CNN interview that he is not blocking confirmations and that the Senate has ample time to address the nominees. He remains firm in his hold on nominations as a protest against the Defense Department’s reproductive health policies, asserting that there are no implications for national security or US military readiness.
Source: CNN