GOP calls on Schumer to vote on military nominees, Tuberville continues hold

Senate Republicans are calling on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to bring military nominees to the floor for a vote. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Al., has a hold on 301 military nominations, stopping the Senate from quickly approving them in groups. 

“I’m not gonna change my mind,” Sen. Tuberville said. “I’m just holding up a group at one time. They can bring, bring them individually up as quick as they can.”

Schumer responded by saying Republicans need to get Tuberville in line and that holding a vote would shift the burden of approving these nominees to Democrats. . 

Tuberville is protesting the Pentagon policy that provides travel expense reimbursement and paid time off for military members who get an abortion. Republicans also oppose the policy, but many disagree with the way in which Tuberville is protesting. 

“We can’t let every grievance shut down the promotion system. So I am ready to vote,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said “We’re voting on all kinds of nominations. And I think now, you know, if we have to have 300 votes, so be it. 

Three hundred individual roll-call votes could take months. So Republicans want Schumer to prioritize the most important nominees like members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

“We’ve been having a lot of three day work weeks. How about if we actually work four days a week? Just a thought. Most Americans work five or six. Sen. John Kennedy R-LA, said. “Senator Schumer could use that extra time to move these nominations.”

Democrats contend Tuberville is harming national security. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said Tuberville is negatively impacting military readiness. 

According to the Pentagon, nearly 650 of the more than 850 general and flag officer nominations could be affected by the end of the year if Tuberville doesn’t release his hold. That includes the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s highest ranking military officer. 

The nominees are currently serving in an acting capacity in their new positions and simultaneously fulfilling the duties of their old job. 

“Imagine going into the football season with a bunch of acting coaches for each of our teams with a regulation that limits any of those acting coaches from presuming that he or she was actually going to officially lead the team,” Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon Press Secretary, said. 

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro was more blunt.

“As somebody who was born in a communist country I never would have never imagined that one of our own senators would actually be aiding and abetting communist and other autocratic regimes around the world. 

Tuberville called Del Toro’s remarks unfortunate. 

Well, you don’t want to know my real thoughts because probably the language wouldn’t, wouldn’t be very good. But he shouldn’t have done that. He should have called me,” Sen. Tuberville said.