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The White House is hitting back at U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) for placing a blockade on what President Joe Biden says are now more than 300 promotions and bonuses for members of America’s Armed Forces, which require Senate confirmation.
“This you?” the Biden White House asked Senator Tuberville on Tuesday, posting headlines that directly refute the Alabama Republicans’ claim on Monday that “My holds are NOT affecting national security.”
This you? https://t.co/rdGU61sepC pic.twitter.com/dLdEXWR2sX
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 1, 2023
Those headlines read: “Tuberville’s hold leaves Marines leaderless for first time in 164 years,” Army, Navy Will Be Latest Services Without Chiefs as Senator Maintains Block on Confirmations,” “Tuberville’s hold stalling more than 100 Air Force, Space Force promotions,” and “There Are Too Many Generals and Admirals, a Senator Stalling Military Promotions Argues.”
Many dispute Tuberville’s claim his holding up hundreds of promotions does not affect national security or military readiness.
David Rothkopf, a well-known foreign policy, national security, and political affairs expert and author, on Tuesday also responded to Tuberville’s claim his blockade isn’t affecting national security.
“Literally no serious person associated with national security agrees with this. That is because it is a dangerous lie,” Rothkopf charged.
On Friday, President Biden had blasted Tuberville by name.
Enough.
I urge the Senator from Alabama and his Republican colleagues in the Senate to approve all the outstanding military nominees now.
End this blockade and let these Generals and Admirals fully serve our country. pic.twitter.com/GWftunExcy
— President Biden (@POTUS) July 28, 2023
Senator Tuberville, who placed the blockade back in February, says he is doing so in response to the Pentagon’s decision to reimburse travel expenses for service members who need to go to another state to access abortion services. He is blocking hundreds of promotions, including the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, which now does not have a permanent leader because of the Alabama Republican’s refusal to release his holds. By October, if Tuberville has not released his holds, top jobs at the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and even the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will not be able to be filled.
On Monday, Senator Tuberville and his home state of Alabama learned that President Biden had decided to keep the headquarters of Space Command where it is currently, in Colorado, rescinding a January, 2021 decision by outgoing President Donald Trump to move it to Alabama.
Tuberville, Alabama GOP Governor Kay Ivey., and a slew of GOP lawmakers on Monday called President Biden’s decision abortion politics, suggesting it was somehow payback for Tuberville’s military holds.
Numerous news reports going back years show top U.S. Military officials, including the head of Space Command, wanted Space Command to be based in Colorado.
“Proponents of keeping the command in Colorado have argued that moving it to Huntsville and creating a new headquarters would set back its progress at a time it needs to move quickly to be positioned to match China’s military space rise. And Colorado Springs is also home to the air force academy, which now graduates space force guardians, and more than 24 military space missions, including three space force bases,” The Guardian reports. “Officials also argued that any new headquarters in Alabama would not be completed until sometime after 2030, forcing a lengthy transition.”
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