WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, who has blocked hundreds of military promotions for months to protest the Pentagon’s payment of abortion-related travel costs, said on Tuesday he would lift his hold on some of them.
Tuberville’s actions have affected some 400 military nominees and their families.
Pentagon leaders have said the holds threatened national security.
“I’ve still got a hold on, I think, 11 four-star generals. Everybody else is completely released by me,” Tuberville, a social conservative from Alabama, told reporters.
“It was pretty much a draw.
They didn’t get what they wanted. We didn’t get what we wanted,” he said.
The Pentagon said it was encouraged by his decision.
“We’ll continue to stay engaged with Senator Tuberville and the Senate directly to urge that all the holds on all our general and flag officer nominations be lifted to include those nominated for four star,” Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder told reporters.
“Anytime you add a level of uncertainty into the chain of command, it creates an unnecessary friction. It has an impact on readiness,” Ryder said.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he plans to move ahead on military promotions as soon as Tuesday.
“I’m happy that we can finally move forward and give these men and women the promotions they deserve,” Schumer told reporters.
“One thing I would say, Senator Tuberville, I hope no one does this again.”
In a statement, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly responded to the news with three words: “About damn time.”
Tuberville began blocking confirmations to senior Pentagon posts in March to protest a U.S.
military policy enacted last year that provides paid leave and reimburses costs for service members who travel to get an abortion.
Democrats have said Tuberville should show his objection to a policy matter by targeting Biden nominees involved with policy, not uniformed officers who enact those policies.
In August, the Navy, Marine Corps and Army were all without a Senate confirmed chief.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Jasper Ward and Susan Heavey; Writing by Costas Pitas; Editing by Rami Ayyub and Daniel Wallis)
