Schumer Blasts Tuberville’s Military Promotions Holdup in Pointed Floor Speech: He Caused an ‘Avoidable Emergency’

On the floor of the Senate Wednesday, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) blasted Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) for causing an “avoidable emergency” at the U.S. Marine Corps due to his “blanket hold” on military promotions.

Schumer’s admonishment came as he announced he was moving to fill critical military appointments despite Tuberville’s stonewalling over the appointments in protest of the Pentagon’s policy to allow servicewomen to travel to seek abortions. Schumer said the appointments included Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney to second-in-command at the Marine Corps.

“His appointment has become urgent, because this weekend, the commandant of the Marines, Gen. Eric Smith, was unexpectedly hospitalized after a serious medical emergency,” Schumer said. “Now normally, Lt. Gen. Mahoney would be able to immediately step in to temporarily serve as commandant. But unfortunately, because of the blanket hold of just one senator, Senator Tuberville, that cannot happen. The situation at the Marine Corps is precisely the kind of avoidable emergency that Senator Tuberville has provoked through his reckless holds.”

Tuberville’s hold on more than 300 promotions means the Senate must vote on each military nominee individually, instead of by the traditional unanimous consent.

Schumer announced that the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), had introduced a resolution that would allow the Senate to fill those voids.

“So, while the Senate will proceed quickly to vote on Lt. Gen. Mahoney’s nomination, these holds cannot and must not continue,” Schumer said. He added, “Every day that Sen. Tuberville continues his blanket holds, our military preparedness is degraded.”

Tuberville appeared on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle Tuesday night where he responded to a clip of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-TN) criticizing his one-man blockade.

“I’m all for the military, and we’re in a tough time right now because our military’s struggling to actually put a group together, whether it’s Army, Navy, Air Force,” Tuberville said. “I don’t work for Sen. McConnell. You know, I like him fine. I work for the people of Alabama and the taxpayers of this country. I thought we’re pro-life. I am.”

Watch the clip above via C-Span2.