GOP Rep. Refuses to Support Key Part of Biden’s Agenda
White House Pressures Sen. Tuberville to Lift Hold on DOD Nominations
As more nominations for Department of Defense (DOD) senior officers stack up before the Senate, the White House is engaged in a high-stakes battle with Republican Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville. The White House is applying pressure on Tuberville to lift his hold on nominations, but Tuberville remains steadfast in his refusal to budge.
Tuberville’s opposition stems from his principled stance against abortion. Since March, he has blocked the promotion of generals and admirals in protest of a DOD travel rule that he believes undermines the law banning federal funding of abortions.
Defense officials argue that Tuberville’s hold on senior officer confirmations puts readiness at risk. President Joe Biden, who has made abortion a cornerstone of his administration, would also be jeopardizing his agenda by giving in to Tuberville’s tactics.
“Of course it can also become a matter of who wields power; if the administration gives in, then Senators will see that Tuberville’s tactic was successful. If Tuberville relents, then he will have to somehow reconcile his absolute statements about holding the line. This is becoming a matter of political will for each side,” Dakota Wood, the senior research fellow in defense at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Tuberville’s demand is for the administration to reverse a policy that he views as “taxpayer-funded abortions,” which are illegal except in rare circumstances. President Biden has criticized Tuberville’s position, claiming that it jeopardizes U.S. security.
Biden has made abortion access a central tenet of his 2024 campaign, and his administration plans to pressure Congress to enshrine the expansive abortion regime that existed under Roe v. Wade into law.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s promise to protect abortion access for female servicemembers has sparked controversy. Tuberville argues that the policy blurs legal lines, as the Hyde Amendment prohibits the federal government from covering abortions except in rare cases.
Tuberville’s hold on senior officer promotions has drawn criticism and support from various quarters. While some argue that it endangers national security, others believe it is a principled stand in defense of the unborn.
Despite pressure from his own party and concerns over military readiness, Tuberville remains resolute in his position. The issue now rests on whether the President and his senior defense appointees prioritize their policy objective or the impact of Tuberville’s hold on the military.
The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
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