Sen. Tommy Tuberville has ended his blockade on most military promotions.
The blockade had drawn bipartisan criticism, with fellow Republicans expressing concern about the impact on military readiness.
The blockade was initiated in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy.
Tuberville will continue to block the promotions of senior military positions that are four stars or higher.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has announced the end of his blockade on most military promotions, a move that had been in place for several months. The blockade was initiated in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy and had delayed over 400 military promotions, causing uncertainty for military families and leaving key national security positions unfilled. Despite the end of the blockade, Tuberville will continue to block the promotions of senior military positions that are four stars or higher.
The blockade had drawn bipartisan criticism, with fellow Republicans expressing concern about the impact on military readiness. Despite the criticism, Tuberville expressed no regrets but acknowledged that his tactics fell short in his effort to change the Pentagon's abortion policy. He stated that they fought hard for the unborn and for the military, pushing back against executive overreach.
The end of the blockade prevents a vote to change Senate rules on approving military promotions. Democrats had planned to take up a resolution to allow the Senate to confirm groups of military nominees at once, but Republicans opposed the change. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) plans to move forward with promotions previously held up due to the blockade.
While Tuberville's tactics did not impact the policy he was targeting, they succeeded in putting a spotlight on the issue. The decision to end the blockade allows hundreds of officers to advance while still demanding individual votes for about a dozen four-star generals and admirals.