Topline
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed hundreds of backlogged military nominees, hours after Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) released his months-long chokehold on the Senate’s confirmation process which he’d held in protest of Department of Defense abortion rules, a blockade that faced sweeping criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) lifted his blockade on military nominees, allowing the Senate to … [+]
Key Facts
The confirmations come just after Tuberville told Senate colleagues in a closed-door meeting he would release promotions for U.S. military nominees with three stars or fewer.
Tuberville, who started his blockade in February in protest of a Pentagon policy that provided time off for armed service members seeking out-of-state abortions, had signaled last week he would be open to allowing military nominees to go through the Senate, telling reporters he understands the need for certain military promotions.
Following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the Senate is working to confirm remaining military nominees “ASAP,” criticizing Tuberville’s statement in a post on X, arguing the Alabama Republican “hurt national security and military families, and didn’t get anything he wanted.”
Big Number
440. That’s how many military nominees the Senate confirmed Tuesday, Tuberville told reporters—the vast majority of the nominees blocked by Tuberville—leaving less than a dozen four-star nominees left to be confirmed.
Key Background
Tuberville, a first-term senator and former college football coach, launched his blockade of military nominations from Senate confirmation in February, following the implementation of a Pentagon policy that allowed service members to receive travel reimbursement and time off for out-of-state abortions. That blockade prevented the U.S. Army, Navy and Marines from receiving new leaders, keeping them instead operating with interim leaders. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have objected to the blockade, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said the blockade was “not the way to reach the desired outcome.” President Joe Biden also criticized Tuberville’s approach in July, calling it “irresponsible” and arguing it “jeopardizes U.S. security.”
Surprising Fact
Tuberville’s blockade still allowed the Senate to confirm military nominees on a significantly slower, individual basis. In September, the Senate, using that approach, approved three positions, including Gen. C.Q. Brown as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Eric Smith as Marine commandant and Gen. Randy George as chief of staff of the Army.
Further Reading
Tuberville Signals Potential End To Block Of Military Promotions (Forbes)
Tuberville Reportedly Wants Senate To Confirm Marines’ Second-In-Command After Medical Emergency—Despite Holding Up Hundreds Of Nominations (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/12/05/senate-confirms-hundreds-of-military-nominees-as-tuberville-relents/