Senate Democrats celebrated the end of a months-long blockade of military promotions Tuesday evening after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) confirmed the advancements of 11 four-star generals.
Schumer sought and received unanimous consent to confirm the promotions, ending Tuberville’s blockade that began in February in protest of the Defense Department’s policy to provide travel cost reimbursements for service members who cross state lines to receive abortions.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he’s relieved Democrats have finally ended Tuberville’s “reckless” blockade.
“For months I have been fighting to end Tuberville’s reckless blockade on military promotions—now we’ve finally done it. I hope this means the days of playing politics with our servicemembers are behind us,” Kaine said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) slammed Tuberville for holding “our military hostage” and playing “political games.”
“For ten months, Senator Tuberville held our military hostage and played political games with our national security. Now, by confirming these final eleven generals, the Senate has finally put an end to his outrageous blockade for good,” Bennet said on X.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) declared an end to the blockade with a simple statement; “About damn time!”
“Tuberville’s blockade was dangerous and did permanent damage to the military. It will be remembered as a shameful act of obstruction,” Warren continued.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) characterized the blockade as an “outrageous game.”
“Yes. Finally. The last eleven. This was an outrageous game and it is over,” Klobuchar said.
Tuberville broke his hold last month and Schumer then confirmed more than 300 lower-ranking military officials. But the Alabama senator refused to break his hold on 11 of the highest-ranking officers to not fully give in to Democrats.
Tuberville wanted those nominations to go through regular order on the Senate floor, but Schumer held them off the floor to ramp up pressure on him.