Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Wednesday moved forward under pressure to confirm President Biden’s nominees for top posts in the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, after insisting for months that he wouldn’t schedule individual votes for military positions over Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s blanket hold on promotions.
Mr. Schumer, New York Democrat, filed motions to end Senate debate and force confirmation votes on Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, Adm. Lisa Franchetti for as the nation’s first female chief of naval operations and Gen. David Allin for Air Force chief of staff, filling some key vacancies at the very top of the U.S. military hierarchy.
Even as he was agreeing to move the nominations individually, Mr. Schumer said in floor remarks that he backed a resolution filed Tuesday by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, Rhode Island Democrat, that would circumvent Mr. Tuberville’s hold and allow a vote en bloc on a large group of second-tier military assignments, a change of rules that apply only to the current Congress. The resolution is being considered by the Senate Rules Committee.
“When the time comes, I will bring [the Reed resolution] to the floor of the Senate for consideration,” Mr. Schumer said. “We must — we absolutely must — ensure that our military is fully staffed and fully equipped to defend the American people, and it begins by confirming these vital nominations that are currently on hold.”
Senators were arguing over a way forward late into the evening Wednesday, and final votes on the first three nominations could come as early as Thursday. Adm. Franchetti and Gen. Allin would fill now-vacant posts on the powerful Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The last-minute move by Mr. Schumer came Tuesday after Mr. Tuberville, a Republican, obtained 16 signatures needed for his own cloture petition for Lt. Gen. Mahoney to serve as the Marine Corps assistant commandant.
The Marine Corps post became a position of special urgency after the just-confirmed new Marine commandant suffered a serious health emergency over the weekend.
“Lt. Gen. Mahoney’s confirmation is urgent in light of the frightening news that Gen. Eric Smith, confirmed last month to lead the U.S. Marine Corps, was hospitalized Sunday after a serious medical emergency,” Mr. Schumer said Tuesday from the Senate floor after filing cloture, a legislative procedure for ending debate and taking a vote.
“This scary incident involving Gen. Smith shows why it’s supremely risky to play politics with military appointments, as Sen. Tuberville is doing,” Mr. Schumer said. “The situation at the Marine Corps is precisely the kind of avoidable emergency that Sen. Tuberville has provoked through his blanket holds.”
A number of Republican lawmakers went to the floor Wednesday night urging a vote to overcome Mr. Tuberville’s holds, saying it was hurting the personal and professional lives of generals and admirals awaiting promotions and confirmations to new posts across the U.S. and the world.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, Alaska Republican, said he strongly agreed with Mr. Tuberville’s primary reason for blocking the appointments — unhappiness with new Pentagon rules to accommodate those in the military seeking abortions after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. But Mr. Sullivan said the Alabama senator’s tactics were hurting the larger cause of keeping the country safe.
“Every day that Sen. Tuberville continues his blanket holds, our military preparedness is degraded,” Mr. Sullivan said. “Our military families — most of whom have served decades in the armed forces — suffer. Our military appointments risk being further ensnared in partisan politics.”
Gen. Smith was hospitalized Sunday night after suffering an apparent heart attack. The Marine Corps has not provided additional details about his condition or where he is being treated. Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, is temporarily performing the duties of Marine commandant, the service said in a statement.
Mr. Tuberville dismissed allegations that his block on senior-level promotions in the Defense Department played any role in Gen. Smith’s medical emergency.
“They’re really looking for something to blame it on other than themselves. They could have had all these people confirmed if they had just gone with the Constitution,” he told reporters Wednesday on Capitol Hill. “They’re just looking for any possible way to get themselves out of a jam.”
Since February, Mr. Tuberville has imposed a hold on promotions for about 300 generals and admirals over the Defense Department’s generous policy that funds travel and expenses for service members who go to other states for abortions.
Mr. Tuberville “has repeatedly said that Schumer can bring these nominations to the floor or get the Pentagon to reverse their illegal policy,” his office said in a statement.
Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the Senate minority whip, said there is a “high level of interest” in breaking the logjam and finding a solution to the disagreement. He noted that some organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars have called on Mr. Tuberville to lift his hold.
Mr. Thune agreed that Gen. Smith’s medical emergency has added urgency to the debate over the promotion holds.
“It creates more of a sense that something needs to happen,” the senator said.
⦁ Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this report.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.