By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senator Tommy Tuberville from the Republican party signaled on Tuesday that he would maintain his blockade of numerous military promotions due to the Defense Department’s abortion policy. However, he indicated that he was open to compromises, including allowing promotions for essential nominees.
Since February, Tuberville, a first-term senator and staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been obstructing the swift confirmation of high-level military promotions to protest the Pentagon’s policy of covering travel expenses for abortions for service members and their dependents.
Following a two-hour meeting with Republican senators, Tuberville stated that his “hold” would remain in place, but he may consider allowing promotions for individuals who are deemed crucial for advancement.
Tuberville also mentioned that Republicans are exploring options such as lawsuits and challenging the Pentagon policy within a larger defense bill. However, this approach is likely to face opposition from Democrats and a potential veto from President Joe Biden.
“Hopefully we can work through this and get something done in a short period of time,” Tuberville expressed to reporters.
Under Senate rules, one lawmaker has the authority to halt nominations even if the other 99 senators support swift confirmation. Tuberville’s actions have received pushback from some Republicans and Democrats who argue that he should address policy matters by targeting nominees involved with those policies.
The Pentagon revealed that approximately 450 officers have been affected by the holds. Military leaders have raised concerns about the impact on national security due to key positions remaining vacant and the challenges in recruiting and retaining troops.
Tuberville’s blockade has departed from a longstanding Senate tradition of routinely approving a large number of military promotions simultaneously. He has suggested that the Senate could bypass his action by approving promotions one by one, a process that could take several months.
Meanwhile, Democrats are working on a resolution to temporarily amend Senate rules to allow votes on multiple military nominations until the end of next year. However, this resolution requires 60 votes – including nine Republicans along with all Democratic caucus members – for approval.
Since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling recognizing a constitutional right to abortion last year, several states have restricted abortion access. The argument in favor of funding travel expenses is based on the premise that women service members should not be denied access to abortion services because of their stationed location.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Scott Malone and David Gregorio)
