Tommy Tuberville dismisses reports Katie Britt influenced drop on military holds, likens U.S. Senate to a ‘cartel’
Appearing on the Dixon and Vining Show on Birmingham’s Talk 99.5 FM this morning with Richard Dixon and guest host Apryl Marie Fogel, Tommy Tuberville talked about a wide range of topics, focusing on what he described as the upcoming change in rules that resulted in his drop on military holds. Tuberville told Dixon and Fogel that while he cannot claim a victory on his eleven-month-long effort to stop the Department of Defense from expanding access to abortions on U.S. military bases, he intends to continue the fight in the future. He explained the timing of his actions this week, which resulted in 425 nominations being confirmed, saying, “They changed the rules on me in the last couple of months.” He claimed to have had the votes with bipartisan support to leave it in the military budget that he anticipates passing next week to change the policy back to where it was before the DOD’s post-Supreme Court updates. Expressing his frustration, he said, “This is not a government. This is a cartel. This is run by the Democrats.” Before going on to say, “I don’t understand some of my Republican colleagues,” describing the process where they agreed with Chuck Schumer to change the 200-year-old rule to lift his hold before the budget came to a vote. As reported by Politico in early November, several Republican members of the Senate took to the floor to force Tuberville’s hand on confirming 60 nominees. That effort was led by Senator Dan Sullivan, who was joined by Joni Ernst of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Todd Young of Indiana, and Mitt Romney of Utah. Tuberville stressed, “We fought hard. I’m not done. We’re going to continue to fight; looks like we’re gonna have to get President [Donald] Trump back in office, then we’ll get it changed back.” He is continuing his hold of 4-star generals. The interview continued with Fogel asking about a Punchbowl News story that has gained national attention saying that Alabama’s junior senator Katie Britt acted as an intermediary in the final negotiations that led to his release of the holds. Tuberville demurred, saying they had had a “couple of conversations.” He then pivoted quickly to credit his colleagues Mike Lee, Roger Marshall, and Rick Scott for supporting his efforts over the last eleven months. He said if he got a call from anyone else, it was, “Hey, we need to get this done. You know it could hurt the election next year; could hurt our possibilities of getting a senator or two.” Tuberville emphasized that elections weren’t his priority, saying, “That wasn’t my concern.” Tuberville wrapped up his response to the report that Britt had a pivotal role in negotiations to end his hold. He said, “I don’t know where that other information came from.”
Tommy Tuberville backs down on military holds
On Tuesday, The Hill reported that U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) has backed down and will no longer blockade hundreds of military promotions. Tuberville has come under withering fire from Republicans and Democrats over his refusal to give unanimous consent to Biden’s military promotions. Tuberville began his months-long blockade of the promotions in response to the Biden Administration’s policy of paying for abortion-related travel expenses for servicemembers and their families – a policy that Tuberville says was implemented illegally without the approval of Congress and which violates the Hyde Amendment. Critics of Tuberville’s stance say that the holds are damaging military readiness – a criticism that Tuberville has denied. Tuberville said he is jumping on board with an idea presented by Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) that would release his holds on military officers at the 3-star level and below. A hold will remain in place for the roughly ten nominations for 4-star generals and above. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has been threatening to bring a proposed rule change to the floor of the Senate this week that would change the Senate rules to limit the power of individual Senators to place holds on promotions and nominations. That rule change passed out of committee on a party-line vote, but some Republican Senators have threatened to vote in favor of the rule change if it comes to the floor if that is what it was going to take to end the impasse on the promotions issue. Tuberville had assured colleagues that he would find a way to resolve this issue before a rules change vote. “We just came to a conclusion that all of us are against a rule change in the Senate,” Tuberville told reporters in comments shared with Alabama Today. “We are all against it. Now, it has been a long fight. We fought hard. We did the right thing for the unborn and for our military, fighting back against executive overreach and an abortion policy that is not illegal. That being said Senator Schumer changed the rules on us in the NDAA. When you change the rules it is hard to beat somebody.” “I not am not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer,” Tuberville said. “We just released them. Everybody, I think about 440 of them. Everybody but the ten or eleven four stars. Those will continue to be held. We are going to ask Senator Schumer to bring up one at a time One at a time. The way our military is today, our top, top leaders need to be vetted just like everybody else. We need to know who they are and why they are making all the decisions of our military. It is so so important.” Below is audio of Tuberville’s press comments. “It has been tough,” Tuberville said. “It almost took a year since I sent that letter, but the big thing is that we are all together in our caucus that nobody – it will be 100 percent – will vote against any standing order in the Senate that will change the rules for these holds.” Growing tensions in the world, including the rapidly worsening situation with Iran in the Middle East, Chinese provocations towards Taiwan in Asia, and setbacks by Ukraine in their war with Russia, have only increased concerns that the military’s readiness should take precedence over all other concerns right now. Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020 after decades coaching football. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sandra Day O’Connor, who made history as the first woman on the Supreme Court, dies at 93
Ashley Murray, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — The first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court is dead at 93. Sandra Day O’Connor, a groundbreaking justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, died Friday in Phoenix, Arizona of complications related to advanced dementia, probably Alzheimer’s, and a respiratory illness, according to an announcement from the court. President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor in 1981, and she was confirmed by the full Senate, 99-0, in September of that year. The moderate O’Connor, who served on the bench until her retirement in 2006, was often the decisive vote in major cases that reached the Supreme Court in her nearly quarter-century as associate justice. The justices issued rulings in high-profile cases during O’Connor’s tenure, including Bush v. Gore, which settled the 2000 presidential contest in George W. Bush’s favor, and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, a 5-4 decision that affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion but with leeway for states to impose some restrictions. O’Connor sided with the majority in both cases. “She was consequential,” journalist and historian Evan Thomas told the National Archives in 2019 while promoting his biography “First: Sandra Day O’Connor.” She cast the so-called “swing vote” 330 times in 24 years, Thomas said. “And where it really mattered was in abortion rights and affirmative action,” he said, referring to several cases, including Grutter v. Bullinger, which upheld the consideration of race in the University of Michigan’s law school admissions. In 2022, O’Connor’s successor, Justice Samuel Alito, wrote the majority opinion overturning Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Roe v. Wade, striking down abortion rights at the federal level. A ‘true public servant’ and ‘trailblazer’ Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement Friday that O’Connor “blazed a historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice.” “She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor. We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education. And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot,” he said. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement that the “nation mourns the passing of a towering figure in the history of American law.” “… From her election as the first female Majority Leader in the history of American legislatures to her confirmation as the first female Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor led with a brilliance and conviction that disarmed resistance. Her vote on the court frequently determined the majority in landmark cases, and the legacy of her role in landmark decisions reviving federalism during her first several terms on the Court continues to resound in Constitutional jurisprudence,” McConnell said. In the mid-1990s and 2000, O’Connor provided decisive votes in two 5-4 decisions that found federal laws unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause, including sections of the Violence Against Women Act and a federal law that criminalized carrying a firearm within 1,000 feet of schools. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said O’Connor was the “conscience of the Court.” Schumer said in a statement issued Friday that O’Connor “was one of the true historic figures of the 20th century. In decision after decision, Sandra Day O’Connor was often the key vote in defending the rights of Americans—in protecting clean air, in protecting women’s rights, in protecting against discrimination, in protecting voting rights. I join Americans all across the country in mourning her passing today.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana described O’Connor as a “trailblazer” and “legal giant” in a Friday morning post on X. “As the first woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court, Justice O’Connor inspired a generation of women — including the five female Justices that succeeded her — to chart a path that previously seemed unattainable,” he said. “Despite never serving as Chief Justice, she was widely regarded as the most powerful Justice on the bench during her tenure.” The women who followed O’Connor’s appointment to the court included Ruth Bader Ginsburg, nominated by former President Bill Clinton in 1993; Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan in 2009 and 2010, both nominated by former President Barack Obama; Amy Coney Barrett, nominated by former President Donald Trump in 2020; and Ketanji Brown Jackson, nominated by President Joe Biden in 2022. Obama released a statement Friday recounting the well-known story of O’Connor’s challenges finding a job in the legal field as a woman in the 1950s, when she was asked about her typing skills and offered work as a legal secretary. “Fortunately for us, she set her sights a little higher – becoming the first woman to serve as a U.S. Supreme Court justice,” Obama said. “As a judge and Arizona legislator, a cancer survivor and child of the Texas plains, Sandra Day O’Connor was like the pilgrim in the poem she sometimes quoted – forging a new path and building a bridge behind her for all young women to follow. Michelle and I send our thoughts to Sandra’s family and everyone who learned from and admired her.” From the Southwest to the nation’s capital O’Connor was born on March 26, 1930, in El Paso, Texas, and grew up on a ranch in Arizona. She graduated near the top of her law school class at Stanford University in 1952. O’Connor began her law career as deputy county attorney of San Mateo County, California, followed by a position as a civilian attorney for Quartermaster Market Center, Frankfurt, Germany, from 1954 to 1957. O’Connor practiced law in Maryvale, Arizona, until 1960 and went on to serve as assistant attorney general of Arizona from 1965 to 1969. She followed her time in the attorney general’s office with multiple terms in the Arizona State Senate beginning in 1969 and eventually serving as the body’s majority leader. In 1975, she was elected as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge and served until 1979, when she was appointed to the Arizona Court
Senate plots to break Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military nominees
Democrats on the Senate Rules Committee advanced a resolution on Tuesday that would allow the Senate to override U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Alabama) nine-month hold on military promotions. Tuberville spoke at length with Alabama reporters on Wednesday about this development. “What’s happening now, that I have been about nine or ten months of holds on admirals and generals – flag officers, the Democrats have said we are just going around Coach,” Sen. Tuberville said. “We are going to go to the Rules Committee (and) pass a new rule that we can go around him, and for the next year and a half, we won’t have holds from the minority part of the Senate. That will probably happen in maybe around the first of December. It did come out of committee. It did come out of the rules committee, so now they will have the vote in the next couple of weeks to go around me.” Senate rules require 60 votes to change the rules, meaning that with a 51 to 49 split, Democrats need Republican support to pass the rule change. “They have got to have nine Republicans,” Tuberville said. “I can’t imagine nine Republicans siding with the Democrats. Number one against pro-life. Number two against executive overreach and then siding with the Democrats on anything because they don’t side with us on anything.” The resolution was led by Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island and independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. The rule would temporarily change the process, allowing for the nominees to be approved en masse, letting the chamber more quickly vote on the promotions that Tuberville has slowed with his opposition. It would require the support of all Democrats and independents and at least nine Republicans. Several GOP Senators have expressed their frustrations with Tuberville over this publicly. It remains to be seen if there are nine of them willing to stand with Democrats and risk backlash from the pro-life movement over it to pass the rule change. Several Republican Senators have become frustrated with Tuberville’s intransigence on this and have spent hours on the Senate floor criticizing him on this topic – hours that could have been spent confirming military promotions simply by bringing a petition to override Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-New York) stranglehold on the Senate calendar. Tuberville said he has had no assurances from his Republican colleagues that they will not cross over and vote with Democrats on this rule change. “I have not been assured,” Tuberville said. “I think there is going to be some people on the Republican side that say that we need to get this over with and not hold up these promotions. We don’t need to do that because it is not affecting readiness at all. I do have a couple of things that I am working on maybe to avoid this to get this over with before a vote happens. Right now, the Republican Party is going to have to decide whether they are going to be pro-life or vote for this resolution to pass to go around me. It is disturbing sometimes. I am not establishment. I vote for the people of Alabama, and I hope the rest of our delegation would vote for their state, and if they did that, they would vote against the Democrats.” One reporter asked if Tuberville’s holds were pro-life versus the military. Sen. Tuberville objected to that verbiage. “These holds are not pro-life versus military,” Tuberville answered. “The Republicans – all Republicans – we’re pro-life, and we’re also for the military. The Democrats are not for either. They are definitely not for the life of the unborn, and they really don’t support the military like Republicans do, so let’s go down that avenue.” Tuberville remains staunchly opposed to the Pentagon’s abortion policy, which allows servicemembers and their families stationed in states where abortion is restricted to take time off and be reimbursed for travel expenses for the procedure. Critics say his tactic of holding up the promotions threatens military readiness and unfairly punishes service members. “I am doing what is right for the people of Alabama and the American people, and hopefully my Republican colleagues stick with me on that,” Tuberville concluded. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and every other Republican on the committee voted against the resolution, though they have told reporters that they are still trying to find a solution with Tuberville. The body could bring the nominations as part of regular order as the Founders intended, or the Defense Department could reverse the controversial policy change prompting Tuberville’s hold in the first place. Democrats are unwilling to compromise on either point and have rejected a plan in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives’ version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would override the Defense Department policy that created this conflict. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Congress sends stopgap spending bill to Biden’s desk, averting shutdown for now
Jennifer Shutt, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — U.S. senators voted 87-11 to approve legislation Wednesday that would fund the government into next year, clearing the measure for President Joe Biden’s signature. The stopgap spending bill, sometimes called a continuing resolution or CR, would fund part of the government until mid-January and the rest of the programs within the annual appropriations process through early February. But many hurdles likely remain before a final deal is reached on full-year spending. Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington state Democrat, said just before the bill passed that she’s already turned her attention to “what happens next.” “Because avoiding a shutdown is so very far from mission accomplished,” Murray said. “We have a lot of work to do after the dust settles and before the next shutdown deadline comes up. Now is not the time to pat ourselves on the back.” That conference process between the House and Senate, Murray said, will require “listening to the other side, making some tough decisions, leaving out partisan nonstarters, and writing a bill that can actually pass into law.” “That is going to make a difference for people we represent at home,” Murray said. The House voted 336-95 to approve the stopgap legislation on Tuesday, and Biden is expected to sign it before current funding expires Friday at midnight. House members abruptly canceled further votes and left D.C. for their Thanksgiving recess on Wednesday morning, after far-right members objected to advancing a different spending bill. More time needed The stopgap spending bill is intended to give the Republican House, Democratic Senate, and White House more time to reach agreement on the dozen full-year spending bills. Congress was supposed to finish its work by the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1 but is relying on the stopgap spending bill to continue current funding levels until a deal is negotiated. Reaching agreement is a well-established practice for the four leaders of the Appropriations Committees — Senate Chair Murray; Senate ranking member Susan Collins, a Maine Republican; House Chair Kay Granger, a Texas Republican; and House ranking member Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat. The four lawmakers have years of experience working out bipartisan deals on spending bills as well as other legislation, but they all often caution against politics or outside influences meddling in those negotiations. “Appropriators left to their own devices” can reach agreement, they often say. But they rarely are left to do their work. New faces in the talks Sign-off on the final dozen full-year bills also falls to the four congressional leaders. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, have plenty of experience negotiating spending bills and other consequential legislation with each other. Joining them at the table this year will be newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York. Both are new to forging agreement on the annual appropriations bills, which last year totaled about $1.7 trillion. Congress will have until Jan. 19 to come to find compromise on the Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD spending bills. They’ll have until Feb. 2 to reach a deal on the Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, and State-Foreign Operations appropriations bills. The Senate drafted its dozen spending bills to the total spending levels in the debt limit law that Congress approved this summer. But House Republicans wrote their bills more than $100 billion below those levels and added in dozens of hot-button policy proposals that stand no chance of becoming law. Collins said Wednesday that she met with Johnson last week to talk about total funding levels and the supplemental spending package that Congress could pass in the coming weeks to fund Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and U.S. border security. Ultimately, she said, congressional leaders will be the ones who decide whether to stick to the spending levels in the debt limit law or go in a different direction. “To me, it should be guided by the numbers in the (Fiscal Responsibility Act), plus the side agreement that was worked out between Speaker McCarthy and President Biden,” Collins said, referring to the debt limit deal from earlier this year and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. In the meantime, she suggested, the Senate could take up a four-bill spending package that includes the Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water, Defense, and Labor-HHS-Education spending bills. “That might be a good four-bill package that we could bring,” Collins said. A senior appropriator, speaking on background, said Wednesday that a proposal was circulating that would have the Senate turn to that exact four-bill spending package once it gets back from the Thanksgiving recess. The Senate has approved a three-bill package with a broadly bipartisan vote and the House has approved seven bills without Democrats’ support. House exit The House was set to vote on two additional spending bills this week, but Republican leaders announced late Wednesday morning the chamber was done until after the Thanksgiving break. The canceled votes came after the House was unable to adopt the rule that would have set up debate on the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill, amid anger on the stopgap spending bill from far-right members of the party. Senate Republican Whip John Thune, of South Dakota, said Wednesday it will be difficult to work out agreements between the two chambers on the dozen appropriations bills before the new deadlines. “One of the biggest challenges, obviously, is there’s a difference in numbers between the House and the Senate,” Thune said, noting the two chambers will have to deal with that when they begin the conference process. “And I think we have to give that a chance,” Thune said. “You’ve got a new speaker over there. It seems like people want to cooperate a bit, so let’s see if they can move bills.” Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a
Katie Britt votes to fund government and avert a government shutdown
The Senate voted 87 to 11 on Wednesday for legislation that would keep the government funded to the middle of January, avoiding a devastating government shutdown ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. U.S. Senator Katie Britt voted for the package. The passage of the bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) spearheaded by new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) keeps the government funded at current levels, putting off addressing out-of-control federal spending or the border situation until next year. Only 10 Republicans and one Democrat, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), opposed the legislation. “Today, I joined my Senate colleagues in passing a commonsense Continuing Resolution that will prevent a Christmas season omnibus and ensure our men and women in uniform continue to be paid,” said Sen. Britt on X. “This measure, which was drafted by House Republicans, will ensure that Americans don’t see an interruption in critical government services – and our troops, border patrol agents, ICE officers, and Capitol Police will continue to be paid,” Britt continued. “Growing up outside the gates of Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass, I saw firsthand the tremendous sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform and the sacrifice made by their families. Those who give so much in service to our nation should not have to spend Thanksgiving being worried about whether or not their next paycheck will be here or their Christmas season wondering how they’ll put presents under the tree. This Continuing Resolution gives Congress the time to keep working to move all 12 appropriations bills in a transparent, accountable, and responsible manner. Let’s do our job and complete the critical work on behalf of the American people.” Senate and House conservatives pledged to do everything possible to avoid considering another omnibus spending package right before Christmas and New Year’s, which has become a Washington tradition. An amendment by U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) that would have decreased government spending across the board by one percent was rejected in a 32 to 65 vote. Johnson’s CR passed the House with bipartisan support 336 to 95: 209 Democrats and 127 Republicans voting yes. Ninety-three Republicans and two Democrats voted no. The legislation would fund military construction, the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and energy and water programs until January 19. It funds all other programs, including the Department of Defense and many non-defense social programs, until February 2. It also extends the current Farm Bill through September. It does not provide the President’s requested emergency funding for the war in Ukraine, support for Israel, or enhanced border funding. “I have good news for the American people. This Friday night, there will be no government shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York). “I am pleased that Speaker Johnson realized he needed Democratic votes to avoid a shutdown. If the Speaker is willing to work with Democrats and resist the siren song of the hard right in the House, then we can avoid shutdowns in the future.” The President has indicated that he will sign the bipartisan measure. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Terri Sewell votes for bipartisan plan to avoid government shutdown
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of a bipartisan plan to keep the government funded through January avoiding a government shutdown. New Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) was abandoned by the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus so he was forced to negotiate with Democrats to craft the package to keep the government operating. Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL07) voted with Speaker Johnson in favor of the Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the federal government open and avoid the potentially disastrous consequences of a shutdown. The CR funds the federal government at current levels through January 19th for certain agencies and February 2nd for others. It passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 336 to 95 and will now make its way to the U.S. Senate. “We in Congress have a responsibility to the American people to keep the government open and protect the programs that families rely on,” said Rep. Sewell. “While I have some concerns about the staggered funding deadlines, this measure prevents a shutdown and protects against the extreme cuts pushed by my colleagues across the aisle. Families in Alabama can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their Thanksgiving plans will not be affected by a government shutdown.” Sewell wrote on X, “Tonight, I voted for a bipartisan measure to keep the government open and protect the programs that Alabamians rely on. While I have concerns about the staggered funding deadlines, this measure prevents a shutdown and protects against extreme cuts pushed by my GOP colleagues.” Two Democrats and 93 Republicans voted in opposition to the bill. The bifurcated bill will extend funding at current levels until January 19 for programs and agencies for four appropriations bills: Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Agriculture, Rural Development and Food and Drug Administration; Energy and Water Development; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development. It extends funding for the remaining eight at current levels through February 2. It would also extend the authorization of programs and authorities in the Farm Bill until September 30 avoiding a showdown over farm programs and supplemental nutrition assistance programs for ten months. Congressman Barry Moore (R-AL02) voted against the legislation. “Our country is nearly $34 trillion in debt, and over 60% of American families are living paycheck-to-paycheck,” said Moore in a statement. “I voted against this continuing resolution because it contained no spending cuts and Americans cannot afford more of the status quo. I am committed to working with Speaker Johnson on the last five of twelve appropriations bills that contain significant cuts and a Farm Bill that prioritizes the needs of our producers.” The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it has support from both party leaders. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky). “We would like to do it as soon as possible,” Schumer told reporters. “Both McConnell and I want to avoid a shutdown, so getting this done obviously before Friday at midnight — we know the Senate has lots of arcane rules. But McConnell and I are going to work together, we talked about this yesterday, to get it done as quickly as possible.” To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
U.S. House passes stopgap spending bill in bipartisan vote, in crucial test for new speaker
Jennifer Shutt, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — The U.S. House took a broadly bipartisan vote Tuesday to fund the government into the new year, though the measure must pass the Senate by the end of the week if Congress is going to avoid a partial government shutdown. The 336-95 House vote was the first major legislative test for Speaker Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican who took on the role after the former speaker was ousted after passing a similar bipartisan short-term funding bill in late September. A total of 93 House Republicans voted against the bill, but enough Democrats supported it to send the measure to the Senate. In the Alabama delegation, U.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville; Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, and Dale Strong, R-Madison, voted for the bill. U.S. Reps. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile; Barry Moore, R-Enterprise; Gary Palmer, R-Hoover and Mike Rogers, R-Saks, voted against it. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said Tuesday that he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, both agree the Senate needs to pass the bill quickly to avoid a funding lapse. “If the House should pass it, and I hope they do, Leader McConnell and I will figure out the best way to get this done quickly,” Schumer said. During a press conference prior to the vote, Johnson defended his decision to move the short-term spending bill, saying it would prevent Congress from passing an omnibus spending package in mid-December before the holiday break. Republicans have repeatedly said they oppose such massive packages, which wrap together all 12 government spending bills, often on short notice. He rejected criticism from fellow GOP lawmakers that he was making a mistake and taking the wrong approach to funding the government. “We’re not surrendering, we’re fighting. But you have to be wise about choosing the fights,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to fight fights that you can win, and we’re going to, and you’re going to see this House majority stand together on our principles.” Johnson said he was optimistic that Congress would be able to pass the dozen full-year appropriations bills before the new deadlines next year, avoiding the need for another stopgap spending bill. “Part of the reason I’m confident about this is, I’ve been drinking from Niagara Falls for the last three weeks. This will allow everybody to go home for a couple of days for Thanksgiving,” Johnson said. “Everybody can cool off.” During that time, Johnson said he would get a group together to “map out that plan to fight for” conservative principles in the final set of 12 spending bills. The current fiscal year ends on September 30, 2024. “I look forward to rolling that out,” he said. “You’ll see much more of that.” Two deadlines The 32-page short-term spending bill, sometimes called a continuing resolution or CR, would fund part of the federal government through January 19 and the remainder of the annual appropriations bills through February 2. The short-term funding measure is intended to give Congress and the White House more time to negotiate the dozen full-year spending bills. But there are several pitfalls along the way. Former GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his leadership role after moving the short-term government funding bill in late September that will keep the federal government up and running through Friday. The decision by eight House Republicans and Democrats to vote to “vacate the chair” plunged the chamber into gridlock for weeks as GOP lawmakers debated who should lead the party. After nominating three Republicans who couldn’t get the votes on the floor to hold the gavel, the party finally coalesced behind Johnson. But some of the especially conservative members became frustrated this week with his decision to put the stopgap spending bill on the floor. The short-term spending bill would give the House and Senate until January 19 to work out an agreement on the Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD spending bills. The remaining eight spending bills — Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Financial Services, Homeland Security, Interior-Environment, Labor-HHS-Education, Legislative Branch, and State-Foreign Operations — would have funding until February 2. The House and Senate would need to reach an agreement well before those deadlines on the total amount of spending for the current fiscal year that began back on October 1. The leaders of the Appropriations committees would then determine how much of the money goes to each of the dozen bills. Democrats have said the total spending level should match what Congress and President Joe Biden agreed to in the debt limit law this summer. But some Republicans have pressed for lawmakers to go below that level. Lawmakers sound off on spending Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, chair of the Interior-Environment spending panel, said that leaders need to clarify the total spending number, though he expects that will ultimately match the debt limit law. “I think it will end up being that, but leadership needs to tell us,” Simpson said. Georgia Rep. Sanford Bishop Jr., the top Democrat on the Agriculture spending panel, said the total spending level for the final slate of bills that the House and Senate will negotiate in the coming weeks and months needs to adhere to the number in the debt limit law. “Some of them, particularly the MAGA Republicans, pretty much don’t agree with it. They want to cut much more drastically than is beneficial for the American people,” Bishop said. “The moderate, reasonable minds of that side think that we probably should do something that is reasonable.” Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, the top Democrat on the Financial Services spending panel, said a key challenge to getting full-year bills agreed to is that “Republicans have been unable for eight or nine months to get their act together on fiscal issues.” “And we’d lost a speaker over that,” Hoyer said. “They were unable to elect speakers for some period of time, and there is still no guarantee that we know what the overall spending levels are.” Ohio Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, ranking member
Tommy Tuberville gets three more military officers confirmed by Senate
On Thursday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) got three more military officers confirmed by the Senate. Tuberville obtained the 16 signatures needed for a successful cloture petition for the nomination of Lieutenant General Christopher Mahoney to be the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. The United States Senate confirmed this nomination, as well as the nominations of Admiral Lisa Franchetti to be Chief of Naval Operations and General David Allvin for Chief of Staff of the Air Force. Sen. Tuberville spoke with the Alabama press corps before the vote on the three military nominations. “Putting a hold on these admirals and generals has put a lot of pressure on the White House and Senator [Chuck] Schumer himself and Chairman Reed of the Armed Services Committee,” Tuberville told Alabama reporters. “We all have to remember that this is a two-way street. I am fighting for the Constitution. I am fighting that the American people and taxpayers do not have to pay for anything to do with abortion. We had a very good abortion policy that had no problems being worked with for the last 35 years, but this White House decided to change it and go around the Constitution to force the American taxpayers to pay for something involved in abortion, and I am not standing for it. I don’t represent the people up here. I represent the people of Alabama. I am pro-life, and the people that sent me here expect me to get things done in that way. I am confident in General [Karsten] Heckl that he can get the job done waiting for our commandant who unfortunately had a serious health illness in the last few days. I don’t know the direction that that is going to go, but I have filed a petition with Chuck Schumer to put an assistant commandant on the floor. We did that. Hopefully, we will vote on it in the next two days to move that up the ladder, but again, I am showing Chuck Schumer how to do his job. I have said all along that we could be doing these. They have refused to do it. They have refused to work with the American people, and they have put us in a tough situation.” Since February, Senator Tuberville has imposed a blanket hold on senior military promotions over his opposition to the Biden Administration’s taxpayer-funded abortion-related travel policy which Tuberville says is illegal. Sen. Tuberville has repeatedly said that if the Pentagon reverses its policy, he will lift his hold and agree to give unanimous consent to the promotions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) can bring any of these nominations to the floor for a vote individually. As Tuberville has twice demonstrated, any of the 100 U.S. Senators can write up a cloture petition, and if they can get the 16 signatures necessary those nominations can be forced to the floor according to Senate rules. Tuberville pointed out that the Department of Defense’s authority to fund abortions is governed by 10 U.S.C. 1093, which limits abortions to cases of rape, incest, or pregnancies that threaten the life of the mother. These rules apply to both service members and their spouses and dependents. Given this provision, the Department of Defense has averaged fewer than 20 abortions per year, with 91 abortions at military facilities occurring between 2016 and 2021. According to a third-party study cited by officials, the number of abortions subsidized by the Department of Defense under the new policy could increase to 4,100 annually — 205 times the number of abortions performed in recent years. Acting on the orders of President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a memorandum on February 16, 2023, announcing the formal implementation of the abortion policy to fund travel and paid time off for service members and their dependents seeking an abortion, despite existing law – even though Congress never authorized this policy. It is counter to the policy that was previously in place under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Tuberville had threatened to put the hold on promotions in place if the administration implemented the proposed policy change without a vote of Congress. On February 16, 2023, Senator Tuberville followed through with his pledge to hold all general and flag officer nominations on the Senate floor. Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville opposes aid for Gaza while it is under Hamas control
U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) joined their colleagues in sending a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) urging him to reject President Joe Biden’s request for up to $9 billion in humanitarian assistance to Hamas-controlled Gaza. “We are writing to demand that, during Israel’s existential war against Iran’s terrorist proxies, you reject the billions of dollars in humanitarian assistance requested for Gaza as part of President Biden’s $106 billion aid package,” Tuberville and Blackburn wrote. “As you know, sending aid to the Palestinians in Gaza is akin to funneling aid directly to Hamas. The President’s decision to allocate additional funding, in addition to the $100 million in aid previously announced, will inevitably end up in the hands of a genocidal Palestinian terrorist organization that has evidenced its desire to destroy the Jewish state.” “Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East,” the Senators wrote. “As such, it is perplexing why the President would ask Congress to enable the United States to inadvertently fund Hamas’ terror campaign against Israel. As we’ve seen in the past, this so-called “humanitarian aid” will likely be channeled through international organizations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). This is not speculation — just last week, we saw reports that Hamas stole fuel and medical equipment from UNRWA, which the organization initially admitted but then subsequently denied. UNICEF medical kits were even found on the bodies of Hamas terrorists from the horrific October 7th attack. For over a decade, Hamas has stolen aid from UNRWA intended for the Palestinian people, and the organization has a well-documented history of antisemitism. For example, UNRWA distributes educational materials that teach Palestinian children to hate Jews and which glorify acts of terrorism.” “Sending aid to the Palestinians would be a gift to Hamas, the same group that slaughtered over 1,400 Israelis and abducted over 200 hostages, including Americans,” the Senators wrote. “We implore you to ensure the U.S. does not send aid that will only strengthen Hamas’ ability to murder more Jews. This is the time to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our closest ally in the Middle East as they fight for their very existence.” The letter was also signed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Mike Braun (R-Indiana). Tuberville has announced his support for Israel in their war against Hamas. Last week, Coach Tuberville joined legislation to provide $14.3 billion in aid to Israel. “Hamas needs to be totally wiped out,” Tuberville said recently on a television appearance on Fox Business Channel’s Larry Kudlow program. Tuberville and the other Senators argue that while Hamas occupies and rules Gaza, any aid to Gaza will be used by Hamas to feed its fighters and equip them for their war effort against Israel. There are 2.3 million Palestinians in the 140 square mile Gaza Strip, and their entire economy is based on receiving foreign aid from the outside world. Thousands of Gaza residents have already been killed in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. A refugee camp was bombed on Tuesday, killing Hamas fighters but also civilians who are casualties of the war between Israel and Hamas. In October, the White House said in a press release, “Civilians are not to blame and should not suffer for Hamas’s horrific terrorism. Civilian lives must be protected, and assistance must urgently reach those in need. We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the U.S. can track the aid. “The overwhelming majority of assistance so far is getting to people who need it, and we need more,” he said. “The needs are desperate.” Tuberville has represented Alabama in the U.S. Senate since his election in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville to seek floor vote on No. 2 Marine leader after commandant hospitalized
Ashley Murray, Alabama Reflector WASHINGTON — Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who for months has been blocking hundreds of military promotions in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy, plans to call a floor vote on the nominee for second-in-command of the U.S. Marines Corps after its top leader Gen. Eric M. Smith suffered a health emergency Sunday. Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, gathered the required petition signatures to bring an individual vote to the floor on Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney, nominee for the Corps’ assistant commandant. President Joe Biden nominated Mahoney in July. “The vote could be as soon as Thursday,” said Steven Stafford, spokesperson for Tuberville’s office. Stafford said Tuberville collected the 16 signatures he needed in roughly 30 minutes during the Senate’s weekly lunch on Tuesday. Stafford would not disclose names but said all signees are Republicans. Tuberville’s list of blocked nominees grew to 378 as of Friday but could balloon to 650 by year’s end, according to the Pentagon. Sens. Jack Reed, chair of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and Kyrsten Sinema are mulling a proposal to bypass Tuberville’s holds and allow promotions to reach the floor en bloc rather than individually. Text of the proposal is not yet available, according to a spokesperson for Sinema, an independent who represents Arizona. Smith remains hospitalized, but further details about his condition and what happened Sunday were not released. “Due to the expressed wishes of his family, we are respecting their privacy at this difficult time. The Marine Corps will provide more information once it becomes available,” a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday. Reed issued a statement on Smith just after 4:30 p.m. Eastern Monday. “I am wishing General Smith a speedy recovery. He is one of our nation’s finest and toughest leaders, and I hope he will return to full strength soon. My thoughts are with General Smith and his family,” the Rhode Island Democrat said. Tuberville also sits on the Armed Services Committee. Smith was confirmed in September after Tuberville pursued a similar effort to force individual votes for top military nominees. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York set up the votes to confirm Gen. Charles Q. Brown as the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Randy George to Army chief of staff, and Smith. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has warned the delayed promotions are a threat to national security. Defense abortion policy In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to strike down the federal right to abortion, the Pentagon announced that service members could receive leave and travel allowances when seeking abortions in areas of the country where it remains legal. The court’s decision triggered a patchwork of state-by-state abortion laws. About 80,000 active-duty female troops are based in states where legislatures enacted full or partial bans, according to a September 2022 analysis by the RAND Corporation, a think tank that has long produced defense research. Tuberville maintains the department’s policy is illegal. The Pentagon and Biden administration refute that claim. Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Follow Alabama Reflector on Facebook and Twitter.
Gary Palmer and Jerry Carl support Jim Jordan for Speaker
On Friday, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) released a statement announcing that he continues to support Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for Speaker of the House. This statement was released after Jordan was elected as the GOP nominee for Speaker by the House Republican Conference. Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) also supports Jordan for Speaker of the House. “Jim Jordan is the strong conservative voice we need to unite the Republican Conference at this time,” said Rep. Palmer. “I supported Jim in the first vote for Speaker earlier this week, again today in Conference, and will vote for him on the House floor. Jim’s record as a conservative is unquestioned, but his ability to work with all members to unite our party and get things done is what sets him apart as especially qualified to be Speaker at this critical time. Jim will continue to work to secure our border, push policies that will help American families, and will hold firm against the reckless agenda of the Biden Administration and the Democrats in Congress. I look forward to working with Speaker Jordan.” “I voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker this past week in our Republican Conference, and I will be supporting him this week when the vote comes to the House Floor,” Rep. Carl said. “We’ve got to unite behind a conservative Speaker who can unite us and move this country forward.” The last GOP nominee for Speaker, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), defeated Jordan in an earlier Conference vote but had no way of actually winning the Speaker’s position because some members on the Republican right still refused to support him in a vote of full House. The vote for Speaker is scheduled for Tuesday. Jordan will have to find some way to sway Republican moderates if he has any hope of achieving the 217 votes needed to be the next Speaker of the House. Mindless squabbling among the Republican Conference meant that the last Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy (R-California), took 16 votes of the full House of Representatives before he was elected back in January. McCarthy was ultimately betrayed by members of his own majority who voted with House Democrats to oust him. It will be difficult for Jordan, or anybody else, to unite the whole Conference, and there is a strong possibility that the GOP will nominate someone else before the end of the week. Whoever is ultimately elected as Speaker will still have to work with a tiny GOP majority in the House and then negotiate with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) on any legislation that gets out of Congress to President Joe Biden’s desk. First and foremost, on that agenda is passing the 12 appropriations bills or a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded to avoid a government shutdown. As neither House of Congress has passed all 12 appropriations bills for the 2024 fiscal year that began on October 1, the nation is currently operating on a 45-day CR for the past 16 days. There are only 29 days left before a potential government shutdown, and nobody knows who the Speaker of the House will be, much less how they will address this fiscal crisis. Any budget Schumer will advance in the Senate and President Biden will sign is unlikely to be popular with conservative Republicans. Palmer is in his fifth term representing Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District. He has already announced that he will be running again in 2024. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
