Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) is holding up the nominations of more than 200 general and flag officers in protest against the Pentagon’s abortion policy, a move that has impacted top military roles.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday stepped down from his position on Monday, leaving the Navy — along with the Army and Marine Corps — without a Senate-confirmed leader.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the first woman slated to lead the Navy, is now an acting leader awaiting Senate confirmation.
All three military branches have acting nominees who have not been confirmed by the Senate because of Tuberville’s hold.
At Gilday’s retirement ceremony, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin slammed Tuberville for “undermining America’s military readiness.”
“This is unprecedented, it is unnecessary, and it is unsafe,” Austin said.
Tuberville is protesting a policy implemented last year that offers paid leave and travel reimbursement for servicemembers who cross state lines for an abortion.
The senator, who says the policy violates the Hyde Amendment prohibiting federal funds from paying for abortion services, has now maintained his hold for five months.
Steven Stafford, the communications director for Tuberville, defended the hold again on Monday and argued it was not affecting national security.
“Contrary to false reporting, no jobs are going unfilled while the hold is in place,” Stafford wrote in an email. “Instead, highly experienced acting officials are serving in these roles.”
Stafford also argued the “stand is necessary” to prevent the Biden administration from breaking the law.
“They will continue to violate the law and use our tax dollars to promote an extreme left-wing agenda,” he said in the statement.
Still, the monthslong blockade on military nominees is creating frustration on both sides of Capitol Hill as even fellow Republican lawmakers have tried to find an off-ramp.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
