Senate confirms remaining military promotions blocked by Sen. Tuberville

Working up to the holiday break, the Senate confirmed a dozen top military nominees on Tuesday, Dec. 19, putting an end to Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s 11-month-long hold on military promotions. Tuberville’s blockade started over his protest of the Pentagon’s policy of reimbursing travel costs for military members seeking abortions.

As time went by and stalled promotions began to pile up, Tuberville faced bipartisan criticism that his tactic affected military readiness and posed a threat to national security. Tuberville dropped his hold for most promotions earlier this month, on Dec. 5, except for four star officers. Shortly after the hold was lifted, Senate confirmed 425 military nominees.

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According to the Department of Defense, by November Tubervill’s hold blocked 451 military members, including top military leaders. The blockade officially ended last night when Tuberville agreed to drop his objections. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was then able to get a voice vote to pass eleven nominees who had been waiting on four-star promotions.

“These 11 flag officers have now been approved, joining the rest of their colleagues who we approved a few weeks ago,” Schumer said. “That’s good news.”

Tuberville’s efforts have been widely criticized and did not lead the Pentagon to change its abortion policy, President Biden calling the hold “pointless.”

“Senator Tuberville, and the Republicans who stood with him, needlessly hurt hundreds of servicemembers and military families and threatened our national security — all to push a partisan agenda. I hope no one forgets what he did,” Biden said in a statement.