On Tuesday, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) stepped forward on the Senate floor to protest the Pentagon’s violation of federal law — blocking a move by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to give high-level military promotions in protest of the military’s new abortion policy.
"You can't force taxpayers to pay for abortion. That's the law."@SenTuberville highlights his continuing stand against illegal taxpayer funding for military abortions.https://t.co/9eBvLjU8xd pic.twitter.com/Vw3N9ST4yE
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) April 25, 2023
In a speech on the Senate floor, Warren attacked Tuberville for supposedly “jeopardizing America’s national security” by not allowing promotions for 200 high-ranking military officers — though she refused to explain how these promotions would do anything for national security.
“One senator is personally standing in the way of promotions for 184 of our top-level military leaders,” the Democrat senator opined. “One senator is holding up pay raises for men and women in uniform. One senator is blocking key senior military leaders from taking their posts. One senator is jeopardizing America’s national security.”
Perhaps Warren actually meant that Tuberville is jeopardizing Ukraine’s national security — as she requested unanimous consent from the Senate to immediately consider the confirmation of Shoshana Chatfield as vice admiral to serve as the U.S. representative in the NATO military committee, according to The Hill.
“At this critical juncture of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we need her leadership in NATO now more than ever,” the Massachusetts senator said.
Unfortunately for Warren, Tuberville stuck to his guns — arguing that the Pentagon’s decision to grant military members up to three weeks of leave for travel to obtain abortions is a violation of federal law. The Alabama senator pointed out that he had already warned Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that he would take this action in protest if the new policy went through — which allows federal funds, meaning taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion trips.
“I warned Secretary Austin that if he did this and changed this, I would put a hold on his highest-level nominees,” Tuberville said on the Senate floor. “Secretary Austin went through with the policy anyway in February of this year, so I am keeping my word.”
Tuberville wasn’t alone in his protest — as Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) joined him in objecting to unanimous consent, which blocked all of the military promotions.
I stand with @SenTuberville in opposing the @DeptofDefense's plan to use federal funds for performing abortions. 10 USC §1093 explicitly prohibits this. @SecDef Austin, please respect the boundaries of your position and leave lawmaking to Congress. pic.twitter.com/y224rNxL9D
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) April 25, 2023
