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Senate confirms new chairman of the Joint Chiefs despite Tuberville’s hold


The Senate voted to confirm Gen. Charles Q. Brown to replace Gen. Mark Milley as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on On Wednesday, Sept. 21. This comes as hundreds of military promotions have been blocked by freshman Sen. Tommy Tuberville (AL-R) over the Pentagon’s abortion policy.

Gen. Milley’s four-year term as chairman ends on Sept. 30, and he is retiring after serving in the military for four decades. Milley’s replacement, Brown, was nominated by President Joe Biden months ago and was confirmed with a vote of 83-11.

The months-long hold-up and blockage of hundreds more military promotions comes as Tuberville, acting alone, demands the Pentagon changes its abortion policy. Currently, military members seeking abortions can be reimbursed for out-of-state travel.

The hold on promotions has received pushback from both sides of the aisle, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY-D) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY-R). Tuberville’s hold grinds the process to a halt; with more than 300 nominees waiting, the delay would require the Senate to confirm each individually, a process that would bog down the chamber for months.

Democrats say Tuberville’s actions threaten national security, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has also urged Tuberville to lift his hold on military promotions.

Brown, 60, is the nation’s first African American to lead a branch of the U.S. military. His confirmation makes history as, for the first time, African Americans will hold the Pentagon’s top two posts.
Despite the blockade, Schumer has set Senate floor votes for Gen. Randy A. George to be chief of staff for the Army and Gen. Eric Smith to be promoted to commandant of the Marine Corps.

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THE SENATE HAS CONFIRMED GENERAL “C-Q BROWN” OF THE AIR FORCE TO BE THE NEXT CHAIRMAN OF THE “JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF.”

A VOTE WAS HELD ON WEDNESDAY — AND THE CONFIRMATION PASSED WITH AN OVERWHELMING 83 TO 11 VOTE.

WHILE THE MILITARY PROMOTION WAS A BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT —

THERE’S BEEN A PARTISAN STANDOFF BETWEEN ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR AND DEMOCRATS THAT HAS PREVENTED THE PROMOTIONS OF HUNDREDS OF MILITARY MEMBERS.

SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE (TUBBER-VILLE) SAID HE WOULD WITHHOLD THE PROMOTIONS AS LONG AS THE MILITARY IS PAYING FOR OUT OF STATE ABORTIONS.

THOUGH TUBERVILLE COULD EXPEDITE SENATE CONFIRMATIONS —

THE SENATE STILL HAS THE POWER TO HOLD INDIVIDUAL VOTES TO PROMOTE MILITARY MEMBERS.

MORE VOTES ARE EXPECTED TODAY TO CONFIRM OTHER HIGH RANKING OFFICERS.