US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Tuesday that the Senate’s delay in approving 160 military promotions due to one of its members’ opposition to the Pentagon’s pro-abortion policy will have a negative impact on the readiness of US forces.
Tommy Tuberville, a Republican senator from Alabama, announced last month his intention to block Defense Department upgrades that need Senate approval because of a Pentagon decision to provide assistance to female soldiers who need reproductive health care.
Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the repercussions of blocking promotions are “very serious,” adding, “Not passing recommendations for promotions creates a build-up effect of making us much less prepared than we should be.”
Between the Ukraine war, China’s hostility, and Iranian-backed forces’ attacks on US forces in Syria, Austin noted that this is “one of the most complex periods we’ve seen recently.”
He pointed out that the upcoming vacancies that require Senate approval include the leaders of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, in addition to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called stopping “160 routine military promotions” a “reckless” step.
Accused of facilitating thousands of abortions with taxpayer dollars
- In mid-February, Tuberville, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, predicted in a tweet that there would be a blockage of Senate Defense Department promotions and appointments due to Austin continuing his “extreme plan to facilitate thousands of abortions annually with taxpayer dollars.”
- Tuberville then called the Pentagon’s abortion policy “illegal,” justifying his suspension of the promotions Tuesday during the hearing as “about not forcing the taxpayers of this country to fund abortion.”
- Austin responded that the policy rested on “solid legal ground”, urging Tuberville to reconsider.
- The Minister of Defense said that “about 80,000 of our women are stationed in places where they do not have access to reproductive health care.”
- In June 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned the decades-old constitutional right to abortion throughout the United States, which means that female soldiers in places that prohibit the procedure must take leave and travel to areas where this type of health care is allowed.
- In light of this, Austin asked the Department of Defense to develop policies issued last month that allow female soldiers to take time off for “reproductive health care” and the right to travel and transportation allowances to help them cover costs.