[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 58 (Thursday, March 30, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1061-S1062]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MILITARY PROMOTIONS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the Senator from Alabama's holding up 
military nominations, the Senator from Alabama continues his hold on--
more than 180 now--promotions, military promotions, blatantly ignoring 
the many warnings of the harm he is causing to our national security. 
It is reckless. It is just reckless.
  Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned that blocking

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these promotions ``creates a ripple effect through the force that makes 
us far less ready than we need to be.''
  Do you hear that, the Senator from Alabama? The Secretary of Defense 
is saying that what you do makes us far less ready than we need to be 
at a time when China and Iran and Russia are all causing all kinds of 
security problems and threats.
  But Secretary Austin also emphasized another point, a very important 
point: The Senator's stonewalling is having consequences--bad 
consequences, heart-wrenching consequences--for our military families. 
By blocking these promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking pay 
raises for these officers and their families. By blocking these 
promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking military kids from 
starting at new schools, setting them back in their educations.
  When a member of the military serves, their family serves, too. Does 
the Senator from Alabama understand the disruption and chaos he is 
causing for military families?
  These are people serving us. They are not political. They have worked 
hard. They have done a good job. They got a promotion. A promotion 
means moving--a change of venue, a change of school. It means a career 
path--how long you have been at one rank and then to another.
  The Senator from Alabama is playing havoc with so many military 
families, who are nonpolitical, who have served our country well, who 
thought they were ready for promotions until this cruel act of the 
Senator from Alabama stopped them. These military families have done 
nothing--nothing--to deserve the disrespect and disdain shown by the 
Senator from Alabama. It is insulting to our servicemembers that one 
Senator--just one--is holding up what has long been a routine and 
nonpartisan process.
  Again, I urge my colleague from Alabama to think this through and 
stand down. We understand he has passion on the issue. We disagree with 
it vehemently; so do most Americans. But passion on the issue is not an 
excuse for causing havoc in the military in terms of force and in terms 
of the lives of the families.
  I would again plead with my Republican colleagues, whether it is 
public or private, to go to the Senator from Alabama and dissuade him 
from his folly.

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