[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 10, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S1578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Military Promotions

  Mr. President, on military holds, the senior Senator from Alabama, 
Senator Tuberville, is continuing his dangerous and reckless hold of 
hundreds of routine, nonpolitical promotions of senior military 
officers.
  This morning, Senator Warren, Senator Reed, and I released a new 
letter from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin detailing how the Senator 
from Alabama's blanket holds pose a clear risk to our military 
readiness and directly impact and hurt military families. And since 
these are general officers, they have spent decades--they and their 
families--serving our country.
  Secretary Austin's letter confirms what Democrats have been saying 
for weeks: Senator Tuberville's indefinite hold on the confirmation of 
our general and flag officers is reckless, unprecedented, and harmful 
to our military's readiness and sends the wrong message to our partners 
and allies.
  In the letter, Secretary Austin warned that a prolonged blanket hold 
is creating unnecessary uncertainty in the chain of command that 
``diminishes our global standing as the strongest military in the 
world.''
  Let me say that again; it is so striking. The Senator from Alabama's 
blanket hold is creating unnecessary uncertainty that ``diminishes our 
global standing as the strongest military in the world.''
  Secretary Austin's letter also laid out how the Senator from 
Alabama's hold is also harming our military families, preventing 
children from starting new schools, and spouses from starting new jobs. 
That is shameful--hurting these generals' and admirals' families in 
this unique attempt to try and get his way, which will not happen.
  Finally, Secretary Austin's letter highlighted that, over the next 
several months, there will be hundreds more promotions requiring Senate 
confirmation, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 
Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Staff of Naval Operations, 
Commandant of the Marine Corps, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, 
Director of the National Security Agency, and so much more. These are 
just some of the positions at risk of delay if the Senator from Alabama 
keeps his reckless holds.
  Secretary Austin's letter follows a letter, last week, from seven--
seven--former Secretaries of Defense, Democrat and Republican, who 
served under Democrat and Republican Presidents, stating that blanket 
holds are both ``harming military readiness and risks damaging U.S. 
national security.''
  And let's be clear-eyed about why the Senator from Alabama is 
carrying out this reckless act. He is doing it to advance the extreme 
MAGA Republican agenda. He is doing it because he fundamentally doesn't 
believe women have the right to make their own choice.
  I hope Senate Republicans read Secretary Austin's letter, as well as 
the letter from the seven former Secretaries of Defense, and prevail on 
the Senator from Alabama to end this dangerous blockade and get our 
military operating to its full capacity. Destroying a Senate process 
that has been apolitical and pro forma throughout history should not 
fall victim to MAGA Republican politics.
  I thank Senators Warren and Reed for continuing to bring attention to 
this issue.
  I yield the floor.