In a show of support for Senator Tommy Tuberville’s protest against military abortion policy, former Vice President Pence has voiced his backing for Tuberville’s efforts to block senior military promotions using taxpayer dollars.
In a speech on Friday, Pence said, “On day one, I’ll direct the Department of Defense to stop using taxpayer dollars to undermine pro-life laws in states around the country. Senator Tommy Tuberville is right, and the Pentagon is wrong.”
Tuberville’s protest has resulted in the Senate being unable to pass bills approving senior military promotions in bulk, instead requiring a roll call vote for each promotion. This has resulted in a backlog of over 300 pending promotions, including multiple military branch chiefs.
The protests have been ongoing for nearly six months.
Due to the lack of confirmation from the Senate, the leaders of the Army, Marine Corps, and Navy are currently serving in acting roles, limiting their authority.
Tuberville’s protest was initially sparked by a Pentagon policy allowing military service members to take time off to receive abortion care.
Pence is one of a small group of notable Republicans who have supported Tuberville’s protest, despite criticism from both political parties and members of the military. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has spoken out against the strategy.
McConnell said, “I think holding these non-policymaking career military officials, who can’t be involved in politics at all, is a mistake, and we continue to work on that. I hope at some point we can get it cleared.”
Pence is known for being a staunch anti-abortion advocate on the 2024 campaign trail. He was the first presidential candidate to endorse a 15-week national abortion ban policy and has indicated that he would also consider banning abortion in cases where the fetus is not viable.
In an interview with The Associated Press in July, Pence stated, “I’m pro-life. I don’t apologize for it. I have heard so many stories over the years of courageous women and families who were told that their unborn child would not go to term or would not survive. And then they had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy delivery.”
Military personnel have also expressed concerns about the impact of the protests on national security and the potential for individuals waiting for promotions to seek employment outside of the military.
“Any claim that holding up the promotions of top officers does not directly damage the military is wrong, plain and simple,” wrote the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in an op-ed earlier this month.
Efforts to negotiate with Tuberville from within the Republican Party have reportedly been unsuccessful.
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