Joe Biden on Monday criticized Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) for causing a delay in the confirmation of approximately 200 Pentagon nominees due to a disagreement over a Defense Department abortion policy.
What Happened: Tuberville has been impeding the confirmation process for senior Pentagon positions since March in protest against a Defense Department policy implemented last year, which offers paid leave and covers expenses for members who need to travel for abortion procedures.
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President Biden said during a fundraising event for affluent donors in California’s Silicon Valley, “It’s just bizarre. I don’t remember it happening before, and I’ve been around.”
Tuberville has referred to the Pentagon policy as violating the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits using federal taxpayer funds for abortion services.
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This came after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, earlier this month, slammed the lawmaker and called his actions “shameful” while accusing him of endangering national security. The senator’s obstruction of the nominees was hurting military families and risking “our military readiness by depriving our armed forces of leadership,” Jean-Pierre said.
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Why It Matters: The Alabama senator is impeding Pentagon nominees’ typically swift confirmation process. According to Reuters, if he continues with this obstruction, the Senate would need to undergo a lengthier procedure, consuming valuable floor time, to consider each nominee.
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