WASHINGTON — Senator Tommy Tuberville has protested the Pentagon’s reproductive health policy introduced after the Roe v. Wade reversal, despite the retirement of top U.S. military officials starting less than a month later. Unfazed by blocking hundreds of military promotions.
The first-term Republican of Alabama has been ousted by members of the party as the highest-ranking U.S. Marine is set to retire on July 10 and Pentagon officials warn that a delayed nomination will weaken military readiness. causing concern among Among those in line are the new leaders of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and the president’s new chief military adviser.
Republican Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, a member of the Senate Committee, said, “I’ve been talking to various senators on this subject. To start moving,” he said. The military told the state newsroom on Tuesday.
Mr. Tuberville has asked the Democrats, who control the administration and the Senate, to bring a single bill to the floor for a vote on the Pentagon’s policy of granting vacation and travel benefits to military personnel stationed in states where abortion is prohibited or severely restricted. claims to be submitted to
The senator reportedly this week rejected a proposal from fellow Republican Senator Joni Ernst (Iowa) to include her. suggestion It banned the policy as part of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, Congress’ annual bill reauthorizing military spending and operations.
Ernst’s office did not respond to multiple inquiries about the negotiations. A key speaker on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ernst served as a company commander in the U.S. Army Reserve in Kuwait and Iraq in the early 2000s, serving 23 years before retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
Mr. Tuberville’s staff pointed out the latest to the State Newsroom. comment The senator, whom they call “the coach,” told reporters in early June:
“Let’s vote alone (the bill). We don’t want to interfere with the NDAA,” said the former Auburn University football coach. “Like I said to the Pentagon, let’s make a bill and send it over here to vote on. I mean, that’s what we’re doing here.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville’s months-long quest
Mr. Tuberville continues to block nominations, but his nominees have grown to: 200 or more — for several months.
March, Tuberville Said The State Newsroom said it plans to “work it out” with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
Mr. Tuberville said a senior Pentagon official testified during a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing that this sabotage “actually creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us less prepared than necessary.” A few hours later, he promised to smooth things over with Austin. Be. “
“In terms of military implications, this impact is absolutely significant,” Austin told Rhode Island Armed Services Chairman Senator Jack Reed. March 28th.
“This is one of the busiest and most complex times we have seen in recent times. We are witnessing war, Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. We’re seeing aggressive China in action in the Pacific, we’re seeing Iranian-backed elements targeting our military, and globally, when There are a lot of things going on that show you the potential to enter the contest,” he said.
Senator Angus King, an independent from Maine on the Armed Services Committee, said he was hearing concerns from military generals.
“I know that various members of Congress from both parties have been discussing this[with Mr. Tuberville]. and said, “Is this undermining national security?” And he finally said yes,” King said.
Among the hundreds of candidates blocked — a position the Senate has so far approved unanimously in large groups — is the successor to Mark Milley, who will retire as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October. there is
“You know, people can make their case. Lawmakers have every opportunity to try to convince their colleagues that this is bad policy and should be repealed, and violating national security should not be one of those measures. said Dr. King.
Meanwhile, other senators are rallying in support of Mr. Tuberville’s blockade.
“I think most people believe he deserves their vote,” said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio said he was unaware of a coordinated inter-conference effort to persuade Mr. Tuberville to disagree.
“I stand by his point,” he said.
US Naval Academy change of command
Tuberville’s plays possession Updating a candidate is a strategy senators use to signal their opposition to a nomination or proposal.
Ultimately, the Senate majority leader has the power to decide how long the suspension will be enforced.
“We’re going to try to get as many candidates as we can,” New York Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told the State Newsroom in the hallway after the House vote on Tuesday.
Mr. Schumer’s office has not responded to multiple inquiries over several months about how Mr. Schumer intends to deal with pending issues.
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin on Thursday gestured He called for a unanimous agreement to change the nomination of Maj. Gen. Yvette M. David is a candidate to lead the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis following the retirement of Vice Admiral Sean Buck.
“The first time in 59 years that a Naval Academy superintendent did not change command over the summer was in 1964, when the incumbent superintendent retired early after suffering a heart attack,” Cardan’s office said in a statement. It became.
Mr. Tuberville replied on the floor: “I want to be clear on this one because my colleagues in the Democratic Party are spreading a bit of disinformation. I am not blocking anyone from being authenticated. is only preventing unanimity.If the Democrats want to vote for these candidates one by one, I am all for them and will probably vote for them.”
Schumer faces limited speaking time, and calling candidates individually “could put[the Senate]to a standstill,” said Structural Democrats at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Director Michael Thorning said.
Schumer, or any Senate leader, should also consider future gamesmanship risks, Thorning said in April.
“Senate leaders often show tolerance because they don’t want to encourage or encourage future bad behavior by disrespecting the reservation, and they don’t want that senator to be any more of a hindrance, so they use the reservation. We tend to leave it alone,” Thorning said.
“The Senate is what game theorists call a repeated game. You know, majority leaders, minority leaders, and other Senators know that they will continue to engage each other in this legislative process. So I am always adjusting my decisions with the future in mind, and I need to consider the impact on how senators will act,” he continued.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that “senators should not be politically active.”
“They shouldn’t be using our military aid, our armaments, our military family to run politics,” she said when asked about the Hold by reporters.
The aftermath of the Roe v. Wade loss
Biden administration welcomed In February, it launched a policy to support military travel for “reproductive health care not covered by insurance.”
A year ago this month, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal protections against abortion, triggering a patchwork of state-by-state regulations, leaving abortion still legal in some areas and such services in others. is de facto prohibited.
According to a September 2022 report, approximately 80,000 female military personnel are stationed in locations with no or severely restricted access to uninsured reproductive health care, such as elective abortion. ing. report Presented by Thinktanland.
Austin testified in March that “nearly one in five men in our military is a woman, and they are not given the opportunity to choose where they will be stationed.”
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