On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate rules committee passed a measure to bypass U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-Auburn) military promotions hold by allowing them to be approved in one bulk vote.
Tuberville has repeatedly blocked hundreds of military nominees from being confirmed to their positions over the Department of Defense's policy of funding travel expenses and time off for service members seeking an abortion.
The resolution would require at least nine Republican votes for final passage in the Democrat-controlled Senate. However, Tuberville said on Wednesday he did not believe there would be sufficient Republican support.
"They'll have the vote probably in the next couple of weeks to bypass me," Tuberville said. "Now, here's what they got to have, they've got to have nine Republicans. I can't imagine nine Republicans siding with the Democrats. Number one against pro-life, and number two against executive overreach, and then siding with the Democrats for anything because they don't side with us for anything."
"I'm doing what's right for the people of Alabama and the American people. And hopefully, my Republican colleagues stick with me on that."
Tuberville said he had not received confirmation from his fellow Republicans that they would not cross the aisle and support the resolution.
"I think there's going to be people on the Republican side that say that 'we need to get this over with and not hold up these promotions,'" Tuberville continued. "We don't need to do that because it's not affecting readiness at all."
"Right now, the Republican party is going to have to decide whether they're going to be pro-life or vote for this resolution to pass to go around me."
Alabama's Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) voted against the resolution as a rules committee member.
"The action taken today by my Democratic colleagues on the Senate Rules Committee is an ill-advised erosion of the institution of the Senate and the core Constitutional role the chamber should play in providing appropriate advice and consent," Britt said. "Fundamentally changing the rules of this institution, even temporarily, sets a dangerous precedent that undermines our nation's tried-and-true system of checks and balances. The Senate rules are designed to ensure the minority party has a true voice — not to whimsically bend to benefit Democrats' wishes at any given moment in time.
"Ultimately, rules are real rules only if they're applied evenly across the board, blind to which party is in power. And let's face reality — when Democrats are in the majority, they're happy to throw the minority party's rights down the drain to achieve their short-term partisan agenda; yet, when Democrats are in the minority, they would never cede those same rights. This so-called 'temporary' rule change would forever damage the institution of the Senate."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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