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By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville prevented the approval of a whole bunch of navy nominations on Thursday, persevering with his blockade of promotions in protest over the Protection Division’s abortion coverage.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine learn the names of 364 navy officers who’ve been nominated for promotion, asking that they be permitted. Tuberville objected to all of them.
Tuberville has been blocking fast affirmation of high-level navy promotions since February to protest the Pentagon’s coverage of protecting journey prices for abortions for service members and their dependents.
Navy leaders say the logjam has harmed nationwide safety by leaving key positions empty and making it harder to recruit and retain troops.
Underneath Senate guidelines, one lawmaker can maintain up nominations even when the opposite 99 all need them to maneuver shortly. Tuberville’s blockade has confronted opposition from some Republicans in addition to Democrats, who say he ought to make his level on a coverage matter by focusing on nominees concerned with coverage, not punishing navy members who’ve earned promotion.
“These people are in a limbo that may be very painful to them,” Kaine mentioned.
Tuberville mentioned he’s merely utilizing the one means obtainable to a Republican within the Democratic-controlled State.
“The one energy {that a} senator within the minority has is to place a nomination on maintain,” Tuberville mentioned.
Tuberville’s blockade ended a long time through which the Senate has routinely permitted massive numbers of navy promotions without delay. He has argued that the Senate may sidestep his motion by approving one promotion at a time, a course of that might take months.
The Senate’s Democratic leaders are engaged on a guidelines change that might get round Tuberville’s blockade.
A number of states have restricted abortion entry because the Supreme Court docket final yr overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling recognizing a constitutional proper to abortion. The Pentagon funds journey so feminine service members should not denied entry to abortion providers as a result of they can not select the place they’re stationed.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Enhancing by Rosalba O’Brien)
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