11/02/2023

Senate Republicans Erupt in Anger over Tuberville’s Games

His colleagues have hit their limit as hundreds of military promotions remain stalled

The war in Gaza and a serious medical emergency suffered by the Marine Corps' top officer have forced into the open months of simmering Republican frustration with Sen. Tommy Tuberville's expansive hold on President Joe Biden's military nominees, driving several of his colleagues to publicly denounce the gambit and urge Senate leaders to take immediate action to end the impasse.

Concerns about Gen. Eric Smith's apparent cardiac arrest on Sunday, coupled with fast-moving developments in the Middle East, have surfaced repeatedly this week as officials in Washington seek an off-ramp to the bitter political dispute between Tuberville (R-Ala.) and the Biden administration that centers on the Pentagon's travel policy for troops seeking an abortion. Hundreds of senior military advancements have been stalled as a result, dating to February.

On Wednesday night, a remarkable scene unfolded on the Senate floor as several Republicans, including Sens. Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Joni Ernst (Iowa), Todd C. Young (Ind.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) confronted Tuberville, imploring him to lift his hold for the sake of national security and proposing votes on individual officers whose promotions have been delayed. Tuberville rebuffed them one by one, blocking each proposed nominee as his colleagues' frustration continued to rise.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.