[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 203 (Monday, December 11, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5886-S5887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Military Nominations

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, a major item in the news last week was 
that the senior Senator from Alabama, Senator Tuberville, released 
holds on over 400 military promotions. As usual, media reports framed 
the situation in much the same way as the Biden administration had. 
Both the President and the press focused on the holds instead of the 
policy the holds protested. They claimed my Senate colleague 
manufactured a crisis. The truth is that it is the President's 
political appointees who have been manufacturing the crisis from the 
start.
  Let's go back. In the summer of 2022, the Supreme Court handed down 
its landmark Dobbs ruling. Almost immediately, the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Personnel claimed the decision would have ``significant 
implications . . . for the readiness of the force.'' The abortion 
decision named ``Dobbs'' would have ``significant implications . . . 
for the readiness of the force.'' Again, he claimed that the Supreme 
Court's decision, which essentially returned abortion decisions to the 
States, would have ``significant implications . . . for the readiness 
of the force.''
  Let's all agree that readiness is vital to our success. Military 
readiness is

[[Page S5887]]

our No. 1 job. The United States faces the most dangerous national 
security situation in decades. China's military strength is growing at 
an alarming rate. Russia has brought war to Europe. Iran is actively 
attacking our troops. North Korea continues to develop dangerous 
weapons.
  In the face of such a complicated web of threats, we must take 
military preparation seriously. Our precarious situation makes it 
irresponsible for anyone to fearmonger about readiness in order to 
advance a political agenda. Yet that is what we must conclude the 
President's appointees at DOJ have done.
  They contend that the Dobbs decision hurts readiness, so, in 
response, Republicans have repeatedly asked for proof that Dobbs harms 
readiness. I have personally, as ranking member of the Armed Services 
Committee, asked for proof that Dobbs harms readiness, and the 
administration has refused to provide that evidence. In truth, that is 
because the evidence does not exist. At this point, it is pretty clear 
that Biden officials are avoiding the question because they do not like 
the answer.
  It is difficult not to see that the President, and not my colleague 
from Alabama, is the one who precipitated the crisis.
  To solve this imaginary emergency, the administration released what 
they called the reproductive health policy. The creative title failed 
to disguise what is a clear attempt to use taxpayer dollars illegally 
for abortion, contrary to the Hyde amendment. Under the rule, 
servicemembers are granted compensated time off, as well as monetary 
reimbursement for travel costs incurred, to receive an abortion. This 
policy violates popular opinion, and it violates the law.
  Most Americans oppose late-term abortions, but a DOD official 
begrudgingly admitted to me in testimony that the policy would 
facilitate abortion at the very latest stages of pregnancy, in the 
eighth or ninth month. The provision spends tax dollars to facilitate 
abortions conducted mere days before a child's due date. That is just a 
fact.
  Again, the administration claims this policy is necessary to solve a 
readiness problem created by Dobbs, but if Dobbs is such a threat, we 
could have reasonably expected wide usage of the travel policy. Despite 
the administration's stonewalling, I have obtained information 
indicating that just 12 women during this entire time have taken 
advantage of the reimbursement--just 12. Over 1 million Americans serve 
in our Armed Forces, but 12--not 12,000, not 1,200, but 12--have so far 
used this abortion travel reimbursement program. So the Biden 
administration cannot provide proof that Dobbs created a crisis for 
national defense.
  We do have evidence that other administration priorities are harming 
our Armed Forces. The U.S. military faces a recruiting challenge, but 
the Biden administration is making it worse. The President has 
instituted a woke diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucracy at the 
DOD which is souring servicemembers' views of the military. A survey of 
Active Duty troops found that 7 in 10 are concerned about the 
politicization of the military. That same percent said that 
politicization would affect whether or not they would encourage their 
children to enlist. We know that family ties are the No. 1 way we 
recruit new servicemembers. When the Biden administration injects 
politics into the Armed Forces, it weakens that recruiting channel, and 
we see the results of that weakening.
  In this year's national defense legislation, Republicans successfully 
included a number of important provisions curbing that woke agenda; 
but, regrettably, Democrats ended up blocking our efforts to end the 
DOD's illegal abortion travel policy. We will continue in future 
Congresses to resist that travel policy.
  Last year's Dobbs decision was a monumental victory for the 
Constitution, our country, and, most importantly, for the unborn. It 
was the culmination of decades of dedicated work by pro-life groups, 
and I salute them. These groups understood how the Framers built our 
political process, and they patiently used their voices to advocate for 
the unborn in our democratic system. They were rewarded for their 
faithfulness that they exhibited during nearly 50 years under Roe.
  During this time, the Biden administration has refused to play by the 
rules, and they grasp at ways to circumvent the Supreme Court's ruling. 
We intend to promote, in the next phase of our effort, a culture of 
life and to refocus the Pentagon on its national defense mission. The 
pro-life movement has always been a coalition of energetic volunteers, 
resilient advocates, and elected officials, and we will continue to 
work together to fight for the unborn.
  And one final bit of very good news: Since the Dobbs decision was 
announced in 2022, approximately 30,000 babies have been born who 
would, otherwise, not have had an opportunity to experience life. That, 
in essence, is what this fight has been about and what it will continue 
to be about.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.