GOP Sen. Tuberville blocked 184 military promotions in his ongoing abortion fight with the Pentagon

Candy Woodall, USA TODAY
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Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama blocked 184 military promotions Tuesday in the latest chapter of his protest against the Pentagon's new abortion policy.

The drama unfolded in the Senate as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, moved a request to allow the promotions and Tuberville blocked the action.

"I warned Secretary Austin that if he did this and changed this, I would put a hold on his highest-level nominees. Secretary Austin went through with the policy anyway in February of this year, so I am keeping my word," Tuberville said on the Senate floor.

He has been blocking military promotions in objection to the Department of Defense providing leave and covering expenses for service members who travel to have abortions. Tuberville claims the policy is a violation of federal law.

Tuberville vs. DOD: Lloyd Austin warns Senate of 'ripple effect' from blocking nominees over abortion policy

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, has drawn criticism from Democratic senators and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for blocking nearly 200 military promotions in protest of the Pentagon's abortion policies.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, has drawn criticism from Democratic senators and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for blocking nearly 200 military promotions in protest of the Pentagon's abortion policies.

Warren and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin say the promotions are critical to military readiness, and Tuberville is blocking pay raises and preventing key leaders from taking their posts.

"One senator is jeopardizing America’s national security," Warren said on the Senate floor.

The promotion of Shoshana Chatfield to vice admiral and as the U.S. representative to the NATO military committee is especially urgent, Warren said.

"At this critical juncture of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we need her leadership in NATO now more than ever," she said.

Blocking military promotions leaves America more vulnerable, Austin said last month during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

"There are a number of things happening globally that indicate that we could be in a contest on any one given day," he said. "Not approving the recommendations for promotions actually creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be."

Candy Woodall is a politics editor for USA TODAY. She can be reached at cwoodall@usatoday.com or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sen. Tommy Tuberville blocks 184 military promotions in abortion fight