[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 210 (Wednesday, December 20, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S6071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MILITARY NOMINATIONS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, yesterday, 10 months of delay finally 
ends on a positive note. The Senate confirmed the last of the military 
nominees held up by Senator Tuberville. Military leaders and their 
families who have had their lives put on hold for months can finally 
breathe a sigh of relief because the wait is over.
  It was a very good outcome, one that should not have been necessary. 
But now that the holds have been lifted and these nominees confirmed, I 
hope this never happens again. Let the experience of the past 10 months 
be a warning: No Senator--no Senator--should use our military officers 
and their families as political pawns to push a political agenda no 
matter how strongly they believe in that agenda.
  This was a long and painful ordeal for our Armed Forces, but it ended 
on a positive note for them and for our country because Senator 
Tuberville didn't get one bit of what he asked for, only a lot of pain 
to military families.
  Let's make sure this never happens again no matter how strongly any 1 
of the 100 Senators feels on any one issue. Don't hold the military 
families hostage.

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