Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Nov 10, 2023 / 18:00 pm
Senate Democrats, led by Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, are planning to bypass a pro-life blockade on military promotions by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.
Reed introduced a resolution last week to temporarily change Senate rules to allow the hundreds of military promotions being held up to be approved in one single vote. Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar has announced the resolution will be taken up in committee next Tuesday, Nov. 14.
Tuberville has held his blockade on military promotions for the past nine months. He has said he will continue blocking the military’s most senior officers from being promoted until the Defense Department drops its program paying for abortion travel, which he says is illegal.
For months Democrats have unsuccessfully pressured Tuberville to drop his hold. Now they believe Reed’s resolution will be able to bypass Tuberville entirely. But the resolution must first be passed by the Senate Rules Committee before it can be brought to a vote before the full Senate.