Tuberville Military Senator Standoff Sparks: If you can’t budge him, it’s time to find a way ’round him. Many Senators reckon that ’bout Sen. Tommy Tuberville from Alabama. Tuberville’s been blocking military promotions for nine months, protesting a Pentagon policy on abortion care. He’s halted over 370 appointments, leaving’ the military in a tight spot.
“Enough is enough,” says Senate Rules Committee chair Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota. She reckons Tuberville ain’t listening’ to those running’ the military or his own Republican buddies.
Sen. Dan Sullivan from Alaska, a Marine Corps Reserve colonel, takes it personally. He says Tuberville’s not just hurting’ military readiness but also morale.
There’s usually pushback in the Senate against rule changes, but Klobuchar’s confident the pressure from Republicans on Tuberville will pass a new temporary resolution. Senate rules let Tuberville hold up nominations all by himself. A small group of senators introduced a measure to approve most military promotions as a group with a simple majority vote.
Klobuchar says Tuberville’s blocked so many positions, over 370, that the Senate can’t start from scratch, even if he backs down. There’s a spending bill deadline to think about.
The strain on the military’s urgent, highlighted by Marine Corps commandant Gen. Eric Smith’s recent hospitalization for a heart attack. Tuberville ain’t moved, saying’ the military needs to “delegate,” like he did as a college football coach.
“This isn’t a game, Senator Tuberville,” Klobuchar says. “It’s real life. People have had it, and we’re ready to go on Tuesday afternoon.” She’s looking’ forward to it once the Tuberville issue’s handled, hoping’ for a permanent rule change in the next Congress.
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