Sen. Tommy Tuberville is responding to a resolution approved in the Senate Rules Committee, by a 9-7 vote, that would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term. “They have to have nine Republicans. I can’t imagine nine Republicans siding with the Democrats. Number one against pro-life and number two against executive overreach and then siding with Democrats for anything. Because they don’t side with us for anything. I am doing what’s right for people of Alabama and the American people. Hopefully, my Republican colleagues stick with me on that,” said Tuberville.The resolution, an attempt to maneuver around a blockade from Sen. Tuberville over a Pentagon abortion policy, would allow for the quick confirmation of hundreds of military nominees. It would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term. The Senate has traditionally confirmed large batches of military officers together, but that process can be upended by just one senator who objects. The resolution will now head to the Senate floor for a vote, where Democrats will need at least nine Republican votes for passage. Tuberville told reporters that he expects a vote on or around Dec. 1. While Republicans on the rules panel opposed the measure, arguing that the move could erode the powers of the minority in the Senate, some have signaled they might change their minds if Tuberville does not drop the holds before then.”I think some people on Republican side that say we need to get this over with and not hold up promotions. We don’t need to do this because it’s not affecting readiness at all. I do have a couple of things I am working on maybe to avoid this to get this over with before a vote happens. But that is yet to be seen,” said Tuberville during a press call with Alabama reporters. Tuberville has said he is open to negotiating an end to his holds on almost 400 military nominees, which he first announced in February. WVTM 13’s Ian Reitz asked Sen. Tuberville on Wednesday to further detail the avenues he is exploring to bring an end to the blockade altogether. “I really don’t want to talk about the exact things we are working on because it could be off-roaded before I get to that point. We have worked hard on this for the past three months. There are things we can do to possibly get it across the goal line. We are going to have to have some help from a lot of people to get this done. This is too important not to try to make it work out this way, to try and get the policy back and make it work for the military and make it work for the unborn and make it work for taxpayers and people across this country that don’t want to have to use and spend taxpayer money on anything that has to do with abortion.”>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sen. Tuberville reviewing options to end military blockade over Pentagon abortion policySenate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who criticized Tuberville’s holds before the committee vote, said he would oppose the Democratic resolution “at this particular moment.” Of Tuberville, McConnell said that “unfortunately, our colleague has chosen instead to exert his leverage on career military officers with no influence over this administration’s policy priorities.” Tuberville told reporters Wednesday morning that he expects a vote on the resolution could happen around Dec. 1. Sen. Katie Britt said in a statement released today, “This so-called ‘temporary’ rule change would forever damage the institution of the Senate.” Britt added in part, “The action taken today by my Democratic colleagues on the Senate Rules Committee is an ill-advised erosion of the institution of the Senate and the core Constitutional role the chamber should play in providing appropriate advice and consent. Fundamentally changing the rules of this institution, even temporarily, sets a dangerous precedent that undermines our nation’s tried-and-true system of checks and balances.” Frustrated Senate Republicans challenged Tuberville to drop the holds and confronted him on the floor for more than four hours, calling up 61 of the military nominations only for Tuberville to stand up and object every time. Tuberville is blocking the nominations in opposition to new Pentagon rules that allow reimbursement for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted the new rules after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion, and some states have limited or banned the procedure. Senior military officials have warned repeatedly that Tuberville’s blockade threatens readiness and national security. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the delays are hurting readiness and have “unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville is responding to a resolution approved in the Senate Rules Committee, by a 9-7 vote, that would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term.
“They have to have nine Republicans. I can’t imagine nine Republicans siding with the Democrats. Number one against pro-life and number two against executive overreach and then siding with Democrats for anything. Because they don’t side with us for anything. I am doing what’s right for people of Alabama and the American people. Hopefully, my Republican colleagues stick with me on that,” said Tuberville.
The resolution, an attempt to maneuver around a blockade from Sen. Tuberville over a Pentagon abortion policy, would allow for the quick confirmation of hundreds of military nominees. It would allow the Senate to confirm groups of the military nominees at once for the remainder of the congressional term. The Senate has traditionally confirmed large batches of military officers together, but that process can be upended by just one senator who objects. The resolution will now head to the Senate floor for a vote, where Democrats will need at least nine Republican votes for passage. Tuberville told reporters that he expects a vote on or around Dec. 1.
While Republicans on the rules panel opposed the measure, arguing that the move could erode the powers of the minority in the Senate, some have signaled they might change their minds if Tuberville does not drop the holds before then.
“I think some people on Republican side that say we need to get this over with and not hold up promotions. We don’t need to do this because it’s not affecting readiness at all. I do have a couple of things I am working on maybe to avoid this to get this over with before a vote happens. But that is yet to be seen,” said Tuberville during a press call with Alabama reporters.
Tuberville has said he is open to negotiating an end to his holds on almost 400 military nominees, which he first announced in February. WVTM 13’s Ian Reitz asked Sen. Tuberville on Wednesday to further detail the avenues he is exploring to bring an end to the blockade altogether.
“I really don’t want to talk about the exact things we are working on because it could be off-roaded before I get to that point. We have worked hard on this for the past three months. There are things we can do to possibly get it across the goal line. We are going to have to have some help from a lot of people to get this done. This is too important not to try to make it work out this way, to try and get the policy back and make it work for the military and make it work for the unborn and make it work for taxpayers and people across this country that don’t want to have to use and spend taxpayer money on anything that has to do with abortion.”
>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sen. Tuberville reviewing options to end military blockade over Pentagon abortion policy
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who criticized Tuberville’s holds before the committee vote, said he would oppose the Democratic resolution “at this particular moment.”
Of Tuberville, McConnell said that “unfortunately, our colleague has chosen instead to exert his leverage on career military officers with no influence over this administration’s policy priorities.” Tuberville told reporters Wednesday morning that he expects a vote on the resolution could happen around Dec. 1.
Sen. Katie Britt said in a statement released today, “This so-called ‘temporary’ rule change would forever damage the institution of the Senate.” Britt added in part, “The action taken today by my Democratic colleagues on the Senate Rules Committee is an ill-advised erosion of the institution of the Senate and the core Constitutional role the chamber should play in providing appropriate advice and consent. Fundamentally changing the rules of this institution, even temporarily, sets a dangerous precedent that undermines our nation’s tried-and-true system of checks and balances.”
Frustrated Senate Republicans challenged Tuberville to drop the holds and confronted him on the floor for more than four hours, calling up 61 of the military nominations only for Tuberville to stand up and object every time.
Tuberville is blocking the nominations in opposition to new Pentagon rules that allow reimbursement for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. President Joe Biden’s administration instituted the new rules after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion, and some states have limited or banned the procedure.
Senior military officials have warned repeatedly that Tuberville’s blockade threatens readiness and national security. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said the delays are hurting readiness and have “unnecessarily weighed down our military families, who already give up so much to support those who serve.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
