With hold on confirmations, Pentagon says fate of hundreds of officers in limbo

An indefinite “hold” by Sen. Tommy Tuberville on military officer confirmations has led to 301 admiral and general nominations being in limbo, expected to rise to 650 by year-end.

Hold Implications: The “hold” has resulted in unprecedented circumstances of key military services operating without Senate-confirmed leaders.
* The Navy, Army and Marine Corps are without top leaders due to the hold.
* Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is set to retire by law at the end of September, with his nominated successor also awaiting Senate approval.
* The Pentagon stated that 61 officers cannot assume their new positions due to the delay.
* Furthermore, 25 officers’ retirements have been deferred until the holds are lifted.

The Hold’s Basis: Sen. Tuberville believes Pentagon is unlawfully reimbursing service members who travel to obtain reproductive care, including abortions.
* Tuberville argues against the reimbursements following the Supreme Court’s overturning the Roe v. Wade decision, which led to varying state-level abortion policies.
* The Pentagon contends that limited amounts of servicemembers are getting reimbursed and these payments are for transportation, not care.

Political Reactions: The senator’s stance has sparked pushback from several quarters.
* Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has tried to persuade Tuberville to lift the holds, but those discussions have reportedly remained unproductive.
* Sen. Jack Reed criticized Senator Tuberville’s approach as “profoundly insulting and damaging,” turning military nominations into “political pawns.”
* Military spouses also mounted a campaign urging Tuberville to end his hold.
* In response, Tuberville maintains that the situational prolongation is due to the Pentagon’s violation of the law and the lack of “serious negotiations” from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Biden administration.

View original article on NPR

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