“If the Pentagon lifts the policy, then I will lift my hold. The hold will remain in place as long as the Pentagon’s illegal abortion policy remains in place,” Tuberville said. While he claimed victory, Tuberville reiterated that Schumer allowing votes on the three Joint Chiefs picks doesn’t change his underlying objections. A vote compelled by Tuberville would have put Democrats in the awkward spot of potentially blocking one of Biden’s nominees. Democrats and the administration have noted that doing so would eat up several hundred hours of floor time to get through all the nominees.īut Tuberville planned to make his own procedural motion to force a vote on Smith’s nomination on Wednesday, forcing Schumer’s hand. Tuberville and others decide, and their constituents decide, that tactically this is not the appropriate way to deal with the issue.”įor months, Schumer had refused to consider individual nominees, instead keeping pressure on Republicans to intervene. “I think more and more people are understanding the severe damage that is being done to our military,” Reed said, “and it’s a question at what point Sen. Senate Armed Services Chair Jack Reed (D-R.I.) vowed to keep working to clear the logjam and suggested that Democrats’ pressure campaign was paying off. Tuberville alone can’t block anyone’s confirmation and has insisted Democrats can just simply hold votes on individual picks. 2 officers, are performing those jobs on an acting basis.īut those three are just a fraction of the more than 300 senior promotions that are still in limbo as Tuberville refuses to allow their speedy confirmation. Both nominees, who are their services’ No. Eric Smith, Biden’s picks to lead the Army and Marines, respectively, on Thursday. The Senate is slated to also vote to confirm Gen.

“But the harm he is doing to the military and their families remains and, unfortunately, continues for hundreds of others.” “In the end, the Senate will overwhelmingly vote to overcome Senator Tuberville’s blockade of these three nominees, … and the abortion policy that Senator Tuberville abhors will remain in place,” Schumer said. The nominee blockade has already resulted in three spots on the Joint Chiefs - the heads of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps - going without Senate-confirmed leaders. Mark Milley steps down from the top post at the end of the month.

And as Air Force chief, Brown was the first Black military service chief.īrown’s confirmation also averts another unprecedented senior vacancy when Gen. He becomes just the second Black officer to lead the Joint Chiefs after Army Gen. Tuberville instituted the hold in protest of the Pentagon’s policy of reimbursing troops who must travel to obtain abortions or other reproductive care.īrown, now the Air Force chief of staff, is a historic pick.

Joint chiefs memo