Schumer moves to stop Tuberville’s blockade of military nominees

A long-blocked Senate finally moved Wednesday to approve three of President Biden’s picks to run the nation’s military services, but a larger standoff over a hold on hundreds of additional military confirmations by Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville showed no signs of easing.

After saying for months he would not advance individual nominations, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, New York Democrat, abruptly announced he was scheduling votes on Gen. CQ Brown to replace Gen. Mark Milley as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Randy George to be the Army’s chief of staff, and Gen. Eric Smith, nominated to be commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mr. Tuberville’s hold, based on his objection to a new Pentagon policy to fund the expenses for service members who have to travel to another state for an abortion, had produced unprecedented vacancies in some of the Pentagon’s most senior posts. Mr. Schumer had previously resisted breaking down the large batch of pending promotions, assignments and other personnel moves requiring Senate action, increasing the pressure on Mr. Tuberville to relent.

Mr. Tuberville claimed a parliamentary victory Wednesday, saying his hold on other Pentagon picks would remain in place until the abortion policy was changed.

“Let’s do one at a time or change the policy back,” he told reporters after Mr. Schumer announced his plans. “Let’s vote on it.”

Senate leaders say voting individually on the hundreds of nominations in the pipeline would effectively eat up the chamber’s legislative schedule and leave no time for other business.

The White House appeared to concede the advancing of the three service chiefs to a Senate vote was insufficient.

“While good for these three officers, it doesn’t fix the problem or provide a path forward for the 316 other general and flag officers that are held up by this ridiculous hold,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told the Associated Press.

On the Senate floor Wednesday, Mr. Schumer accused Mr. Tuberville of abusing the Senate process and said his actions are hurting military families. He told lawmakers to expect votes through the weekend to confirm the nominees.