Sen. Tuberville Partially Lifts Military Blocks
Do you support Tuberville's block?
Updated Dec. 8, 2023, 5:15 p.m. EST
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville partially lifted his blockade on more than 400 senior military promotions this week, which were part of his protest of the Pentagon's policy to reimburse troops who travel to seek abortions.
- Due to the blocks, many officers were unable to move to their next posting, including high-level, senior positions such as four-star general or admiral. The Defense Department is working to ensure that the officers who were confirmed to lower ranks can move into their assigned spots as quickly as possible. However, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said this process will take time.
Updated Nov. 9, 2023, 5:30 p.m. EST
- Senate Republicans lashed out against Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) as hundreds of military promotions remain stalled. The war in Gaza has brought tensions over the military halt to the fore.
- On Wednesday night, several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Joni Ernst (Iowa), and Lindsey Graham (S.C.), confronted Tuberville, pushing him to end his hold for the sake of national security.
- Tuberville refused to compromise, and the confrontation lasted nearly five hours. Every time one of his colleagues proposed an individual officer for promotion, Tuberville declared, "I object."
- Sen. Sullivan said:
"Xi Jinping is loving this. So is Putin. How dumb can we be, man?"
- There are now 375 military officers impacted by the block on promotions. The Senate can bypass the hold by voting on officers' promotions individually, but this would take months.
Updated Sept. 21, 2023, 11:35 a.m. PST
- Despite Sen. Tuberville's block on military promotions, the Senate voted to confirm Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday. Brown Jr. will replace retiring Gen. Mark Milley as the nation's top military officer.
- The Senate voted 83-10 to confirm Brown as Joint Chiefs chairman. They also voted to confirm Gen. Randy George as Army Chief of Staff.
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that he would move the nominations forward, as Tuberville has said he won't stand in the way of the voting process.
- Due to Tuberville's block, the military has been forced to operate without Senate-confirmed commandants in the Army, Marines, and Navy for the first time in history.
- Schumer's decision to hold votes will likely only impact key posts, and 300 nominees continue to have their promotions blocked.
Updated Sept. 13, 2023, 1:00 p.m. PST
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has demanded a congressional vote on Pentagon abortion policy for military personnel.
- He is defending his block on promotions, saying:
- Speaking about the Biden administration's abortion policy, Tuberville said:
"We are not a communist country. Everything that makes policy and law goes through Congress. And I told them, ‘If you change it, I’m gonna block your admirals and generals.’ At that time there was one or two. Now we’re up to 300. I think they’re starting to believe that I meant what I said.”
- Due to the block on promotions, the replacement for the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen CQ Brown, is held up in the queue. The block is also impacting personnel across all ranks:
“We know officers who … are facing genuine financial stress because they have had to relocate their families or unexpectedly maintain two residences. Military spouses who have worked to build careers of their own are unable to look for jobs because they don’t know when or if they will move. Children haven’t known where they will go to school, which is particularly hard given how frequently military children change schools already.”
What's the story?
- Six months into Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R) block on promotions for senior military officers, the civilian heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force have accused him of "putting our national security at risk."
- Sen. Tuberville placed a hold on promotions in an effort to force the Biden administration's Defense Department to rescind a policy of expense reimbursement and paid leave for service members traveling for abortions. He has pledged not to back down until the Pentagon overturns its policy.
- He has delayed the approval of over 300 military appointments and promotions, a number projected to double by the end of the year. The top leadership positions in the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps are currently being filled by lower-ranked officers serving on an interim basis. The 300 officers impacted have extended their current tours or been sent on temporary assignments to wait out the blockade.
- The Defense Department's policy was put in place after federal abortion protections were overturned last year in a landmark Supreme Court decision.
What supporters are saying
- Tuberville wants Congress to have a vote on the proposed abortion policy rather than allowing the Secretary of Defense to make the decision. He said:
"I'm not going to change my mind. They have not tried to meet me in the middle. They have not tried to compromise."
- Utah's Republican Senator Mike Lee blames Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin:
"If you want to change federal law to allow the use of Department of Defense resources for abortion, run for Congress. Stop trying to circumvent that law as secretary of defense."
What critics are saying
- The heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece:
"Any claim that holding up the promotions of top officers does not directly damage the military is wrong - plain and simple. We believe that the vast majority of senators and of Americans across the political spectrum recognize the stakes of this moment and the dangers of politicizing our military leaders. It is time to lift this dangerous hold and confirm our senior military leaders."
- Cuban-born Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said:
"For someone who was born in a communist country, I would have never imagined that actually one of our own senators would actually be aiding and abetting communists and other autocratic regimes around the world. This is having a real negative impact and will continue to have a real negative impact on our combat readiness."
"It is just unprecedented to be attacking apolitical general officers and flag officers in this way. It is taking our apolitical military institution. That's a core principle of our constitutional democracy and eroding its foundation."
- Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said:
"Bottom line: This is an outrage, what he's doing. It affects the entire military. If we are asked to go through these nominees individually for promotions, we'll run out the calendar this year."
Do you support Tuberville's block?
—Emma Kansiz
(Photo Credit: Canva)
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This man needs to be unseated. He is a detriment to our national security & he is putting the lives of honorable men and women who serve our country at great risk. Get him OUT!!!
The Senate rules which allow a single senator to block legislation is ridiculous.
Do your stinking job!
McConnell should remove ignorant, inexperienced Tuberville from all commitees plain and simple. Senators should change the senate rule and get on with America's business, especially supporting our military.#stupidisasstupiddoes #voteoutrepublicanidiots
Tuberville has no military or national security experience and has only been in the Senate for 3 years. If he had more experience he wouldn't be jeopardizing both with his political antics and stunts. US adversaries (China, Iran, Korea, Russia, etc) are watching and taking advantage.
Remove Tuberville from the committee and replace him someone with a military background and national security experience. Surely Republicans can find someone better.
"Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is exercising his authority under Senate rules to halt the promotion of 270 senior military promotions....650 by the year’s end. With just 852 general and flag officers in the U.S. military, 76% of the nation’s most senior officers are on pace to not be Senate-confirmed by the end of the year... up to 90 per cent of generals could be either in an acting or temporary capacity."
"Mr Tuberville has delayed the approval of more than 300 military appointments and promotions - a number that is projected to double by the end of the year. The top leadership positions in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps are currently being filled by lower-ranked officers serving on an interim basis."
"These senatorial hijinks could not come at a worse time for the U.S. military—the Ukraine counteroffensive is stalled, China continues with illegal annexations in the Indo-Pacific, and the Persian Gulf has witnessed an uptick in Iranian aggression. What’s more, the highest military officer—the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—is slated for turnover this summer. This promotion logjam is poised to be a highway pileup with the nominations of the heads of the Army, Navy, and Air Force scheduled to come before the Senate in the coming months."
https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/tommy-tuberville-military-promotions-abortion-b2408145.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66745271.amp
https://www.justsecurity.org/87364/senator-tommy-tubervilles-dangerous-military-promotion-ploy/
He needs to be BLOCKED out of office.
Sen.Tuberville is only blocking unanimous consent motions, Chuck Schumer can schedule a roll call vote on military promotions and solve this issue.
Typical republican jerk move
Time to throw Jim "Jones" Johnson out of Congress, seems he drank a little too much of Donald Trump's coolaid.
This is truly the beginning of the end of the Republican Party.
America is watching is the idiot Republican leadership in Congress waste America's time and taxpayer dollars on the bogus impeachment of Joe Biden. It's more than obvious that this is all being done by the meat puppet soldiers of Donald Trump. Voters will remember this wholeheartedly in the next election. What to hell has happened to the Republican Party!
In other absolutely crazy Republican news Kid Rock the ultimate redneck Republican rockin roller has found that he wants to welcome bud light back into his life.
You had to know he couldn't hold out forever just looking at that bud light can.
LOL
Vote Tubervile out of office.
Yesterday Wrong Ron Johnson made a complete ass out of himself on CNN by saying that the Democrats had posted fake electors many times when questioned which times and for whom he had absolutely no answer because he's full of crap and he's a liar and got caught in his lie. WTF is wrong with the Republican party! Is it mandatory to be an outright lier to be hold Office in the republican party?
Just another Republican undermining our security and sucking Putin's dick
Here's yet another example of a "fine" Republican American just like Tommy BlubberVille.
The Sarasota School Board on Tuesday will vote on a resolution that urges board member Bridget Ziegler to resign, saying that her continued presence poses an “irreparably harmful distraction,” as her husband is the subject of a police investigation for sexual assault and rape.
As a co-founder of the far-right group Moms for Liberty whose re-election to the school board last year was boosted by extremist groups like the Proud Boys.
Ahhh Republican Politicians - They just seem to be a certain kind of people.
This is one of the most insane things I've ever seen a congressional representative perform. How can we allow 1 member hold the whole country hostage? How can we allow 1 member to put the country in such a national security crisis.
When did the voice of the People of this country die?
Oh wait... how could I forget:
• "Citizens United"... one of the final nails in our coffin of this dying democracy.
• The Electoral College which negates the voices of the majority.
• Congressional members who spend 40% of their time fund raising, 40% of their time on vacation or junkets, 20% of their time trying to get media coverage...
• Congressional members who are "purchased" by lobyists - how could "We the People" ever afford those price tags!
and on and on and on...
I'm old enough to remember when Republicans were strong on national defense and would stand up to the Soviet Union. Now Republicans kowtow to Putin and are known for sucking his cock
Tuberville’s block borders on treason with regard to the jeopardy that it puts America’s defense system through.
He is useless and in fact a threat to our national security. He should go back to the gridiron where his actions cause no damage. Voters should be ashamed.
Here's yet another example more Republicans like Tommy BlubberVille peddling lies and bringing down the government of The United States of America.
Hannah Giles, the chief executive of Project Veritas Is stepping down after it has become obvious to her that the whole Veritas organization is engaged in criminal activity. Veritas is the company that edited together bullshit videos to get them to say whatever they wanted and pedal them as news to Fox News which ran them as news. It's incredible how the whole Republican system is based on lying and bullshit. And it looks like the whole damn thing is starting to unwind from top to bottom. I don't know what the hell happened to the Republican party where it went to hell in a handbasket but that's exactly where it is, it's pathetic. The Republican party needs to be totally dismantled and replaced with something that actually matters. Something not based on complete and utter lies and something that somehow benefits America and not defiles it like the Republican Party does right now.
I oppose Sen. Tuberville's blocking military placements as it totally harms our military! Tuberville has chosen to place his own beliefs regarding choices over a woman's body over seeing that our military has proper leadership! This country was set up wiwth a separation of church and state for an important reason. The original people that came to this country were fleeing religious persecution! It's sad that an Elected Official doesn't know what's in our Constitution or our History!!! Apparently no one in the Republican Party knows our Constitution or our history! I find this to be a CRIME against our Nation!! NO ONE should hold an office in our Federal Congress without having knowledge of our history and our Constitution! Tuberville placed this country in JEOPARDY with his choices! Every single Republican that abetted the 1/6 insurrection should NO LONGER hold any seat in government State or Federal according to the 14th Amendment, Section 3!
Aside from the obvious negative issues that have resulted from this stupid stance of Tuberville's, he stands as an example of Republican idiocy. It would not have suprised me if Ted Cruz had pulled the same stunt. Different faces, same ridiculous policies that harm the american public. I am sick of Republicans and wish to be rid of the lot of them. And thank goodness the ever absent Granger is leaving. We deserve better.
Tommy Blubber Ville is an idiot. Just like the majority of the Republicans in office including Ken Paxton who is now trying to hide from the fact that he's preventing women from getting abortions who need them desperately to save their own lives. Ken Paxton is an absolute pig. I am so sick of demagogue Republicans who are nothing but liars
I support Senator Tuberville's block. These promotions should be individually considered. In addition, taxpayers dollars should NOT be used to fund abortions nor should those taxpayers dollars be used to cover expenses involved in traveling round trip for those choosing to end the lives of their children.
Our "elected" officials need to start representing ALL of the people in their precient, county, district or state, not just the ones paying for the re-election campaigns. Tubberville placed our country in peril due to an issue on which most women oppose his views. Do they not count?
Tommy Tuberville is anti-American since he votes against the well-deserved promotions for our military personnel.