Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) said that the White House would rather "burn" the Senate down than negotiate on the blockade of over 360 military promotions over the Biden administration's military abortion policy.
Tuberville shared the comments during a Sunday interview on CNN's "Inside Politics."
Tuberville: White House would rather "burn the Senate down" than negotiate on military holds https://t.co/gqffz9sJX3 pic.twitter.com/fVgf2eQcf9
— The Hill (@thehill) October 30, 2023
“It’s typical of this place. This administration would rather burn the Senate down, and that’s what would happen … If you change the rules of the Senate then it lasts forever,” he said.
“So they would rather burn down the Senate than negotiate," he added.
Republicans skeptical as Democrats eye rules change to overcome Tuberville’s hold on military nominations via CNN Politics https://t.co/Mx8lkwQRLp
— Bill Postmus (@billpostmus) October 28, 2023
"Senate Democrats are eyeing a new plan to try and work around GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s holds on military promotions, which would require a temporary change in rules that would allow them to approve hundreds of military nominations en bloc, a source familiar with these conversations told CNN on Thursday," CNN reported.
"Many Republicans – including the ranking GOP member of the Senate Armed Services Committee – say they are opposed to the move, casting doubt on whether it’s a viable option as Tuberville’s holds enter their tenth month," it continued.
Rep. Pat Ryan to introduce resolution demanding Tuberville lift hold on military nominations amid Israel-Hamas war https://t.co/Qi8IW9hiGv pic.twitter.com/kUnKqMkGpg
— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) October 12, 2023
"In a statement, Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., a vice-ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, decried Tuberville’s blockade as a threat to the lives of Israelis and U.S. troops amid the war," NBC News reported.
“Our most critical ally is fighting an existential war for their nation’s survival. Yet MAGA extremists, led by Tommy Tuberville, are more concerned with waging a culture war, endangering both our Israeli allies and our own troops,” Ryan said in a statement.
The complaints may have some support but fail to address Tuberville's reason for the military holds.
The delay is due to the Biden administration policy that will provide taxpayer funded abortions for military members, something many Republicans oppose.
The latest move seeks to bypass his effort through rule changes, showing how committed Democrats are to funding abortion services as part of the party's platform rather than negotiating with Republicans to address the issue in another way.
