Democrats in the Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday voted to advance a bill that would allow fast-track approval of hundreds of military promotions that have been held up for months by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) in protest of the Pentagon’s abortive policy.
In a 9-7 party line vote, the Rules Committee sent legislation to the full Senate floor that would have allowed the upper house to temporarily approve mass military promotions by simple majority vote, overruling Tuberville, who has blocked more than 360 nominations and promotions. since February.
The measure, spearheaded by Sens. Jack Reed (DR.I.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), needs the support of at least nine Republicans to reach the 60 votes needed to pass.
“What Sen. Tuberville has done is truly an anomaly that is damaging and requires a response,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said before Tuesday’s vote. “There is a lot of negativity and dysfunction in the Senate today, but Sen. Tuberville has single-handedly taken the Senate to a new low for months.”
Tuberville has blocked military confirmation in protest of the Pentagon’s abortion policy.Getty Images
Schumer added that he would bring the resolution to the Senate floor for a vote “as soon as possible.”
Tuberville, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has blocked the confirmation of military officers to key leadership positions in protest of a Defense Department policy that pays for military overseas travel for reproductive services — including abortions and — in vitro fertilization.
Tuberville’s veto has prevented the Senate Armed Services Committee from quickly approving nominations by unanimous vote, forcing Schumer to send several promotions to the full Senate floor for a vote.
Tuberville has blocked military confirmations since February.AFP via Getty Images The move would allow the full Senate to temporarily confirm military promotions.ZUMAPRESS.com
Earlier this month, a group of Republicans challenged Tuberville to end his veto on the Senate floor, bringing 61 military nominations to a vote, but Tuberville vetoed each nominee.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has criticized Tuberville’s objections, opposed the rule change, arguing that ongoing negotiations with the Alabama senator should continue.
“I think we should let them continue,” he said.
“We are still working to resolve this issue, so I will not support it this evening. We still hope that we will be able to free this military hero who is not part of any policymaking,” McConnell told reporters before the vote.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
