Tommy Tuberville announced Tuesday he’s dropping most of his months-long holds on military officer nominations in the Senate, backing down from his vow to block them until the Pentagon changes an internal abortion policy.

The Alabama Republican plans to continue his holds on four-star nominees, he told reporters, but will release the rest effective immediately.

“I have no control over anybody else putting a hold on somebody. But for myself, they are released as we speak,” Tuberville said.

Tuberville’s surprising white flag follows months of pressure and growing frustration from his GOP colleagues, as the amount of held military promotions ballooned over 400. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was also threatening to force a vote on a resolution that would allow military nominations to be confirmed en masse, which would have required Republican votes and hamstrung the Alabamian’s strategy.

But he clearly accepted Tuesday that he wouldn’t get what he’d spent nine months pushing for. Tuberville had toyed with other various solutions as the military derided his holds as a significant risk to national security, including a lawsuit over the Pentagon policy. Tuberville floated that idea again as a future possibility — but didn’t make any firm commitments to whether he’ll seek to force the Pentagon’s hand another way.

“I think we saw some success,” Tuberville said of his tactics, though he didn’t elaborate on what he meant. “We didn’t get as much out of it as we wanted. But again, when they change the rules on you, I had no opportunity to, other than possibly down the road, a lawsuit, but that has nothing to do with the holds. That needs to be done in a separate way.”

Tuberville specifically lamented not being able to vote on amendments in the annual National Defense Authorization Act; he’d hoped that weaving in House-backed language prohibiting the Pentagon policy could be another way out.

“Voting on controversial subjects to stay in or go out of the NDAA, we had no say,” Tuberville said. “The leadership did that.”

It’s not clear yet whether Senate Democratic leadership will schedule individual votes on the outstanding four-star nominees, which account for only 12 of 451 senior-level officers Tuberville had put on hold. Schumer has made exceptions to his stance of avoiding individual votes on military nominees a handful of times over the past few months.

Schumer told reporters the Senate will move “as soon as possible” to confirm the outstanding nominees, which are typically approved via unanimous consent. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said that “should be today.”

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told POLITICO he expects Democrats will discuss voting on the other four-star officers this month. The Senate only has one more full week of session and confirming those officers one at a time would take several days. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) suggested individual roll-call votes on the four-star nominees could happen “if necessary.”

“If they’d like to stay through Christmas, I’m ready,” Reed said.

Many service members, who have no control over Pentagon policy whatsoever, have been left in limbo for months as they wait for their promotions to become official. Still, Tuberville said he has no regrets about strategy.

“We didn’t get the win that we wanted. We’ve still got a bad policy,” said Tuberville, who stressed that objecting to unanimous consent is a tool the minority can use to be heard. “We tried to stand up for the taxpayers of this country.”

Tommy Tuberville announced Tuesday he’s dropping most of his months-long holds on military officer nominations in the Senate, backing down from his vow to block them until the Pentagon changes an internal abortion policy.
The Alabama Republican plans to continue his holds on four-star nominees, he told reporters, but will release the rest effective immediately.
“I have no control over anybody else putting a hold on somebody. But for myself, they are released as we speak,” Tuberville said.
Tuberville’s surprising white flag follows months of pressure and growing frustration from his GOP colleagues, as the amount of held military promotions ballooned over 400. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was also threatening to force a vote on a resolution that would allow military nominations to be confirmed en masse, which would have required Republican votes and hamstrung the Alabamian’s strategy.
But he clearly accepted Tuesday that he wouldn’t get what he’d spent nine months pushing for. Tuberville had toyed with other various solutions as the military derided his holds as a significant risk to national security, including a lawsuit over the Pentagon policy. Tuberville floated that idea again as a future possibility — but didn’t make any firm commitments to whether he’ll seek to force the Pentagon’s hand another way.
“I think we saw some success,” Tuberville said of his tactics, though he didn’t elaborate on what he meant. “We didn’t get as much out of it as we wanted. But again, when they change the rules on you, I had no opportunity to, other than possibly down the road, a lawsuit, but that has nothing to do with the holds. That needs to be done in a separate way.”
Tuberville specifically lamented not being able to vote on amendments in the annual National Defense Authorization Act; he’d hoped that weaving in House-backed language prohibiting the Pentagon policy could be another way out.
“Voting on controversial subjects to stay in or go out of the NDAA, we had no say,” Tuberville said. “The leadership did that.”
It’s not clear yet whether Senate Democratic leadership will schedule individual votes on the outstanding four-star nominees, which account for only 12 of 451 senior-level officers Tuberville had put on hold. Schumer has made exceptions to his stance of avoiding individual votes on military nominees a handful of times over the past few months.
Schumer told reporters the Senate will move “as soon as possible” to confirm the outstanding nominees, which are typically approved via unanimous consent. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said that “should be today.”
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told POLITICO he expects Democrats will discuss voting on the other four-star officers this month. The Senate only has one more full week of session and confirming those officers one at a time would take several days. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) suggested individual roll-call votes on the four-star nominees could happen “if necessary.”
“If they’d like to stay through Christmas, I’m ready,” Reed said.
Many service members, who have no control over Pentagon policy whatsoever, have been left in limbo for months as they wait for their promotions to become official. Still, Tuberville said he has no regrets about strategy.
“We didn’t get the win that we wanted. We’ve still got a bad policy,” said Tuberville, who stressed that objecting to unanimous consent is a tool the minority can use to be heard. “We tried to stand up for the taxpayers of this country.”