Wee hours U.S. Senate drama: GOP colleagues on the floor battle Tommy Tuberville blockade
Ashley Murray, Arizona Mirror WASHINGTON — After a marathon day and late-night vote to avert a Thanksgiving government shutdown, four U.S. Senate Republicans held the floor until the wee hours Thursday, urging their Alabama colleague to lift his months-long objections to hundreds of U.S. military nominations. Sens. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina asked for unanimous consent on two stalled nominees and spoke on the matter until nearly 4 a.m. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah objected to both on behalf of GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, speaking at length in defense of the minority party’s right to block nominations as leverage and about his own opposition to the Pentagon’s abortion policy that Tuberville is protesting. Lee’s objections meant the nominations remained stalled. This was the second time Tuberville’s Republican colleagues brought nominees to the floor to challenge the Alabama senator’s tactic, showing how frustration has bubbled to the surface in his own party. Pentagon officials warn that Tuberville’s freeze on promotions is disrupting the military’s chain of command. Until Nov. 1, only Democratic senators had asserted opposition on the floor. Tuberville has objected to unanimous voice vote approval of military generals and flag officer promotions since early 2023, and now Senate Republicans are on the defense against a Democratic-led resolution that could allow the chamber to hold roll call votes on the nominees en masse, potentially saving weeks to months of precious Senate floor time. Here’s what the senators had to say early Thursday morning: Sullivan Prior to speaking out against Tuberville on the floor this month, the Alaska senator joined him in collecting cloture petition signatures to bring top generals, including the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the floor for successful votes. But Sullivan, a colonel in the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve, said Thursday that he and fellow GOP lawmakers who are now protesting Tuberville’s strategy have “received hundreds of text messages, emails from military families saying, ‘Thank you for having our back. Somebody has our back.’” “So we told them, we’re gonna do that, as we’re moving into Thanksgiving, my colleagues and I, we’re gonna keep our word to our military.” “During the last two weeks, we’ve all worked hard together. Sen. Tuberville is here, Sen. Lee’s on the floor. We’re all working hard trying to resolve this. We have ideas … But the backlog grows. Right now, when the Armed Services (Committee) reports out the next batch of military (nominees), it will be 450 one-, two-, three- and four-star generals.” The latest figures from the Pentagon state 359 nominees are stalled, and the list could grow to between 650 and 850 by year’s end if Tuberville continues his blockade. “This is a huge readiness challenge and a huge moral challenge,” Sullivan said. Tuberville was present at times but did not speak on the floor during the nearly four-hour period. Ernst The Iowa senator said Thursday morning she “led on the effort to overturn this (Biden administration) policy.” Ernst, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Iowa Army National Guard, twice attempted but failed to insert language into this year’s annual defense authorization bill to ban the Pentagon’s recent abortion policy. “So, again, I am pro-military and pro-life,” she said. “I also do not relish that I am standing on the floor this (morning) as we try to bring these nominations forward, but I understand the national security risks that are out there and the detriment to readiness as we continue to hold over 450 of the finest men and women that have served their nation honorably under the flag of our nation and our uniform.” “So I will go through one by one. I have a binder full of nominees, and I do hope our colleague from Alabama will allow us to bring them up one by one for a voice vote.” Graham Graham suggested a legal strategy against the Biden administration as a way for Tuberville to change course and smooth out the military’s chain of command this year. “How do you right wrongs? You don’t create another wrong. I want to right the wrong of having abortion paid for by public taxpayer dollars from the defense coffers. I think it not only violates the Hyde Amendment, it’s just bad policy. Count me in, Coach (Tuberville), I’m with you on that, Mike (Lee). You say it’s illegal. I tend to agree with you. Go to court.” “One way you right a wrong in America if you think a law is broken, you actually bring a lawsuit, and I think we found a way talking to (attorney) Jay Sekulow to bring a lawsuit challenging the defense policy of President Biden using taxpayer dollars to pay for transportation costs from DoD funds to perform abortions,” Graham said. Sekulow is chief counsel of the Christian-based American Center for Law and Justice, and specializes in religious liberty and anti-abortion litigation, according to his website. The Biden administration and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin maintain the policy is legal, and the Department of Justice in 2022 delivered an opinion concluding the policy does not violate the Hyde Amendment. The policy, announced in February, grants service members time off and travel reimbursement when seeking an abortion in states where it remains unrestricted. The Pentagon policy was authorized after last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling. Roughly 80,000 active-duty female service members are stationed in states where legislatures enacted full or partial bans, according to RAND. Young The Indiana senator asked to take up and confirm by unanimous consent two nominees Thursday morning, Capt. Kurtis A. Mole to rise to a rear admiral of the Navy, and Capt. Thomas J. Dickinson also for a promotion to rear admiral. Lee objected both times. “There are now tens, tens of Americans watching us on C-SPAN 2, captivated I know by the presentation this (morning),” Young said. “I think they’re perhaps divided. Some may look upon these proceedings and think what
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 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.
Mike Rogers says attacks on Americans will not be tolerated
On Friday, the U.S. launched airstrikes on two targets in Syria. Following the air strikes, Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) and Adam Smith (D-Washington), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, released a joint statement affirming their support for sending a message to Iran and avenging the U.S. service members attacked by Iranian backed terrorists in Syria. “Last night, we were informed that the U.S. military conducted strikes against facilities used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and their proxies in Syria,” Rogers and Smith said. “These strikes come after recent attacks that injured 21 U.S. servicemembers and resulted in the death of one U.S. contractor. We stand united in sending a message to Iran and their terrorist proxies that attacks on Americans will not be tolerated as we continue to work with our partners in the region to avoid escalation of the current conflict.” The two facilities were in eastern Syria and are reportedly used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and its proxy militias. The Pentagon says that the strikes were in response to attacks against U.S. troops in the region, the Pentagon announced late Thursday. President Joe Biden ordered U.S. military forces to carry out “self-defense airstrikes” on a weapons storage facility and an ammunition storage area reportedly used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups in eastern Syria. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement, “Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17. As a result of these attacks, one U.S. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 U.S. personnel suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty. The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.” “The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop. Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces,” Sec. Austin continued. “We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people. These narrowly tailored strikes in self-defense were intended solely to protect and defend U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. They are separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and do not constitute a shift in our approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. We continue to urge all state and non-state entities not to take action that would escalate into a broader regional conflict.” The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has not lessened tensions with Iran. Over the weekend, Iran ominously threatened massive attacks if “red lines” are crossed. Mike Rogers is in his 11th term representing Alabama’s Third Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt express their concerns over Pentagon appointee Ariane Tabatabai
On Monday, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined 29 of their Senate Republican colleagues in a letter to the Secretary of Defense retired General Lloyd Austin, demanding a full accounting of actions taken by a senior Pentagon official who they claim has close links to the Iranian government. The Senators said that recently leaked emails show that Ariane Tabatabai, the chief of staff to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict (SOLIC), was reportedly engaged in an Iranian government-linked initiative to bolster the Iranian government’s image and reinforce Tehran’s national security views. The emails show Tabatabai asking the Iranian government for input on her speaking engagements and offering to consult with the Iranian government on a congressional briefing that she was invited to give. In the letter, the Senators call it “unconscionable” for Tabatabai to continue holding a sensitive national defense-related position. The letter calls for the immediate suspension of her security clearance. “Iran continues to threaten U.S. military personnel in the Middle East and remains intent on assassinating American citizens here in the United States,” the Senators wrote. “Given these facts, we find it simply unconscionable that a senior Department official would continue to hold a sensitive position despite her alleged participation in an Iranian government information operation,” the Senators wrote. “While we note that Assistant Secretary of Defense for SOLIC Christopher Maier, who is Ms. Tabatabai’s current supervisor, testified before the House on Thursday that the Department is “actively looking into whether all law and policy was properly followed in granting my chief of staff top secret special compartmented information,” we urge you to suspend Ms. Tabatabai’s security clearance immediately pending further review, as the State Department did with her former supervisor, Robert Malley.” The Senators also posed a range of questions related to the nature and extent of Tabatabai’s involvement with the Iran-backed initiative, demanding answers within a week of transmitting the letter. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Senator Tommy Tuberville calls Air Force Secretary’s criticism “propaganda”
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) responded to harsh criticism of his holds on military readiness by the Army, Navy, and Air Force Secretaries. Tuberville commented during a telephone news conference on Wednesday with the Alabama news media. “Democrats are continuing to try to shift blame for the Pentagon’s radical taxpayer-funded abortion policy by demanding that I lift my hold on military promotions, but I still stand firm in my belief that hardworking taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for travel expenses and additional time off for servicemembers and dependents choosing to get an elective abortion,” Tuberville said in a statement. “Nobody in this country voted for this policy. It is extreme. It came from the White House. It was neither authorized nor appropriated by Congress.” Tuberville said that his holds are not hurting military readiness. “I am not blocking votes,” Tuberville continued. “I am not stopping anybody from being confirmed. I am just stopping them from doing them in batches, hundreds at a time. It is one of the only ways I have of exercising oversight over the radical policies from the executive branch.” While Tuberville is being widely criticized in Washington, Sen. Tuberville insists that the people of Alabama support him. “Over the last six months, I have heard from thousands of Alabamians, including veterans, who are standing with me,” Tuberville stated. “They want our military to stay focused on its mission and stay out of politics. They know the real threat to our military is the woke policies of this administration. Under Joe Biden, we have seen the first shortfall in the history of the volunteer military. We’re down 15,000 soldiers. This year, it will be even worse. We are also down 8,000 service members because of Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate. My holds are not, and I repeat, are not affecting readiness, but Joe Biden’s woke policies and his woke appointees are hurting readiness every day.” Sen. Tuberville dismissed the recent op-ed in the Washington Post by the service secretaries as “propaganda.” “This is all propaganda, first of all,” Tuberville said when asked by a reporter. “Let me say this. I am not holding up any nominations from being approved. They can bring them one at a time to the floor. They have chosen not to do that. I have also talked to some of the nominees that come through my office through their posture hearings. They have already changed jobs. They are already doing the job. It’s just they have got interim on their name.” “There is no threat to readiness,” Tuberville continued. “The people that we really need to be worried about are the colonels, majors, and sergeants – privates. They are the ones getting ready to fight wars.” Tuberville pushed back at the Pentagon. “The people up here in the Pentagon – I don’t know what they do every day, but they are more of giving advice,” Tuberville said. “It is just a surprise to me. These are all number one Joe Biden’s civilian appointees: the Secretary of the Air Force, the Navy, the Army, and it disappoints me. Some of the language that they use because I am a United States Senator. I would never say that about them in the newspaper. This should not be played out in the newspaper. If you need to visit with me, call me or come see me. They know where I am. They have not talked with me.” Tuberville accused Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and the White House of carrying out a propaganda campaign against him. “It is all propaganda that is being carried on by the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States,” Tuberville said. “Y’all got to start putting pressure on this Senator. They don’t know what pressure is, OK. I don’t feel any pressure at all, but I do have thousands and thousands of people – veterans and present military people that are supporting me. So again, I am not doing this for a blue ribbon.” “I am doing this because they have changed a policy and a law that is against the law to do it the way they have done it – through a memo,” Tuberville explained. “Let’s vote on it. If we vote on it, I will accept the consequences either way. I will take the holds off, but we are not going to do hundreds at a time. That is not going to happen.” One reporter asked Tuberville to respond to a quote from Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro accusing Tuberville’s policy on the holds as “aiding and abetting communists and other autocratic regimes around the world.” “The Secretaries give advice to the President of the United States, and that is an absurd statement about a United States Senator – somebody that has been in this country a long time,” Tuberville responded. “I believe in this country. I believe in our military. There is nobody up here any stronger for national security than I am, but it does disappoint me again, as I said earlier, that none of these secretaries have called me other than Secretary of Defense Austin. I have not talked to any of them. They haven’t shown any concern at all. They have just been pressured by the White House and the Pentagon.” Tuberville called on the Secretaries to do something about the crisis on the southern border. “They are talking about terrorism. They need to go to the White House and tell Joe Biden, by the way, that our borders are wide open,” Tuberville stated. “We have got six million new people in this country, and we do have a bunch of terrorists that have come across the border, and we don’t even know where they are at. You want to talk about terrorism – do your job. Do your job at the border. Give advice to the President to close that border and protect the people of this country. Right now, it is wide open. We are putting the people of this country – American citizens – in
Tommy Tuberville says some military nominees need to be thoroughly vetted
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) has continued to draw criticism from the Biden Administration and the mainstream media for his refusal to give unanimous consent to over a hundred senior military promotions. Tuberville’s stand protests a Pentagon directive allowing service members to provide abortion services to soldiers even in states like Alabama that have banned abortions. Now, Tuberville has suggested that some of these nominees need to be more thoroughly vetted. “I warned the Pentagon that I would hold their most senior nominees if they broke the law. They did it anyway, and forced my hand. Since then, [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Biden Administration have refused any serious negotiations, and so this situation has dragged on,” Tuberville said in a statement to Breitbart News on Friday. “This has given me more time to look more closely into the background of some of these nominees, and I have deep concerns about some of them,” Tuberville said. “I will continue this process of oversight, and I will announce my opposition to specific nominees in the weeks ahead.” Tuberville has been denounced by President Joe Biden, congressional Democrats, senior leaders at the Department of Defense (DoD), and the mainstream media for his refusal to give unanimous consent to senior military and DoD civilian promotions over his objection to Biden-era rules on ensuring abortion access. Tuberville claims he is receiving strong veteran support for his standoff with President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the department’s decision to pay for abortion-related expenses for service members using taxpayer dollars. Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl defended Tuberville after President Biden denounced the Alabama Senator’s position. “President Biden needs to get his house in order before attacking other people!” Chairman Wahl said. “This situation started because he ignored the will of the people and the U.S. Congress by circumventing the Hyde Amendment. As Commander-in-Chief, President Biden needs to take responsibility for his administration’s actions and reverse this flawed policy. He single-handedly has the power to end the Pentagon’s violation of the Hyde Amendment and stop the holds coming from the Senate floor. Coach Tuberville is not just representing the interests of his constituents here in Alabama but also the majority of Americans who have repeatedly expressed that they do not want taxpayer funds being used for abortion-related expenses. Senator Tuberville’s stance also upholds the constitutional understanding that spending decisions must originate with the legislative branch. I call on the President to end this standoff now, by reversing this unlawful policy.” The Alabama Republican Executive Committee overwhelmingly endorsed Tuberville’s position earlier this month. Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 after a long career in football coaching and sports broadcasting. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville joins Republicans urging Defense Department to halt sales of border wall materials
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) joined U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and all the Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a letter to the Department of Defense to halt the sale of border wall construction materials. The letter, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, was in response to reports that the Defense Department was moving quickly to dispose of the unused border wall materials before the provisions of Wicker’s FINISH It Act could be implemented. “We are deeply disappointed to learn that rather than using construction materials that were purchased to secure the southwest border for that purpose, the Department of Defense has begun auctioning these materials off for other purposes,” the senators wrote. “These auctions represent a brazen attempt to circumvent the FINISH IT Act, which was included in both the House and Senate FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act.” As ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Wicker worked with Republicans to insert the legislation, which would force the administration to allow the materials to be used to complete sections of the southern border wall, in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA passed the Senate with a broad bipartisan majority and the provisions of the FINISH It Act were also included in the House-passed version of the NDAA. However, Congress has not passed the final conference committee version of the NDAA. The Senators believe Austin and the Defense Department are taking the opportunity to auction all the unused border wall materials for scrap metal while Congress is still on its August recess. The Senators are calling to halt further auctions of border wall materials and requesting detailed information on the current sales. The letter calls for the administration to direct the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs Melissa Dalton for her failure to provide Congress with accurate and timely information about the use of these border wall construction materials. The Senate Armed Services Committee Republicans have pledged to never consent to a confirmation hearing for the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy until the senators’ concerns are addressed. The DOD’s combat support branch, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), confirmed to reporters with Power Corridor last week that the Pentagon is now moving ahead with the sale of the leftover materials, many of which have been sitting for years in piles on government and private land out West. The items up for auction this week are “excess border wall materials that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers turned over to the DLA for disposition and are now for sale,” a DLA spokesperson said. Leading the liquidation is Gov Planet, an online auction marketplace run by publicly traded Canadian company Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers. This week, Gov Planet began posting photos on its website and social media of large sections of the unbuilt wall, understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Sens. Tuberville and Wicker were joined by Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri). Tuberville stated that he supports common-sense policies that strengthen our border and national security, like building the wall and reinstating the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the Remain in Mexico policy. Senator Tuberville has spoken about his concerns on the floor of the U.S. Senate and called on the Biden administration to act. Tuberville has made multiple visits to the southern border to bring attention to the border situation. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Indian American engineer says he was fired by defense contractor after speaking Hindi at work
An Indian-American engineer says he was fired last year from his long-time job with a missile defense contractor’s Alabama office after he was heard speaking Hindi on a video call, according to a federal lawsuit he filed against the company. Anil Varshney, 78, filed a civil rights lawsuit in the Northern District of Alabama against Parsons Corporation and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, whose department oversees the United States Missile Defense Agency, AL.com reported Monday. “This case arises out of Defendants’ intentional acts to end Mr. Varshney’s highly distinguished engineering career because he is a 78-year-old Indian American,” the lawsuit reads. “Defendants abruptly terminated Mr. Varshney after one of his white colleagues overheard him speaking Hindi to his dying brother-in-law in India and falsely reported him for a violation of ‘security regulations.’ ” Sharon L. Miller, an attorney representing the Virginia-based defense contractor, did not immediately respond to a phone message and email requesting comment. In a response filed with the court, Parsons denied wrongdoing and asked for the lawsuit’s dismissal. The lawsuit goes on to say that Varshney, who worked at Parsons’ Huntsville office from July 2011 to October 2022, accepted a video call from his brother-in-law in an empty cubicle and spoke to him for about two minutes. The company then said he committed a security violation by using the Facetime application at the classified worksite and fired him. He claims there was no policy prohibiting the call he accepted. The firing blackballed him from future work with the Missile Defense Agency, the lawsuit alleges. He first began working for the federal agency in 2002 and continued in tandem with his employment at Parsons until 2022. In doing so, he achieved the American Dream, the lawsuit says. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Joe Biden decides to keep Space Command in Colorado, rejecting move to Alabama
President Joe Biden has decided to keep U.S. Space Command headquarters in Colorado, overturning a last-ditch decision by the Trump administration to move it to Alabama. The choice ended months of thorny deliberations, but an Alabama lawmaker vowed to fight on. U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Monday that Biden was convinced by the head of Space Command, Gen. James Dickinson, who argued that moving his headquarters now would jeopardize military readiness. Dickinson’s view, however, was in contrast to Air Force leadership, who studied the issue at length and determined that relocating to Huntsville, Alabama, was the right move. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of Biden’s rationale for the decision. In announcing the plans, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said the decision was based on an “objective and deliberate process informed by data and analysis.” He said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin supported the president’s decision. Reaction to the decision came fast and was sharply divided, as Colorado lawmakers praised it and Alabama officials slammed it as a political maneuver. “This fight is far from over,” warned Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Biden, said the U.S. officials, believes that keeping the command in Colorado Springs would avoid a disruption in readiness that the move would cause, particularly as the U.S. races to compete with China in space. And they said Biden firmly believes that maintaining stability will help the military be better able to respond in space over the next decade. Those factors, they said, outweighed what the president believed would be any minor benefits of moving to Alabama. Biden’s decision enraged Alabama lawmakers and is sure to fuel accusations that abortion politics played a role in the choice. The location debate has become entangled in the ongoing battle between Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville and the Defense Department over the move to provide travel for troops seeking reproductive health care. Tuberville opposed the policy is blocking hundreds of military promotions in protest. The U.S. officials said the abortion issue had no effect at all on Biden’s decision. And they said the president fully expected there would be different views on the matter within the Defense Department. Tuberville, in a statement, said the top three choices for Space Command headquarters were all in Republican-leaning states — Alabama, Nebraska, and Texas — and bypassing them “looks like blatant patronage politics.” Formally created in August 2019, the command was temporarily based in Colorado, and Air Force and Space Force leaders initially recommended it stay there. In the final days of his presidency, Donald Trump decided it should be based in Huntsville. The change triggered a number of reviews. Proponents of keeping the command in Colorado have argued that moving it to Huntsville and creating a new headquarters would set back its progress at a time it needs to move quickly to be positioned to match China’s military space rise. And Colorado Springs is also home to the Air Force Academy, which now graduates Space Force guardians, and more than 24 military space missions, including three Space Force bases. Officials also argued that any new headquarters in Alabama would not be completed until sometime after 2030, forcing a lengthy transition. Huntsville, however, scored higher than Colorado Springs in a Government Accountability Office assessment of potential locations and has long been a home to some of the earliest missiles used in the nation’s space programs, including the Saturn V rocket. It is home to the Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command. According to officials, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who ordered his own review of the matter, leaned toward Huntsville, while Dickinson was staunchly in favor of staying put. The officials said Austin presented both options to Biden. In a statement Monday, Kendall said the service will work to quickly implement Biden’s decision, adding that keeping the command in Colorado will “avoid any disruption to its operational capability.” The decision was hailed as a victory in Colorado lawmakers and condemned in Alabama. “For two and a half years, we’ve known any objective analysis of this basing decision would reach the same conclusion we did, that Peterson Space Force Base is the best home for Space Command,” Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said in a statement. “Most importantly, this decision firmly rejects the idea that politics — instead of national security — should determine basing decisions central to our national security.” Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said the decision “restores integrity to the Pentagon’s basing process and sends a strong message that national security and the readiness of our Armed Forces drive our military decisions.” Rogers, meanwhile, vowed that his committee will continue an investigation into the matter, calling it a “deliberate taxpayer-funded manipulation of the selection process.” He added, “It’s clear that far-left politics, not national security, was the driving force behind this decision.” Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt echoed his sentiment, saying it was irresponsible for Biden to “yank a military decision out of the Air Force’s hands in the name of partisan politics.” She said an Air Force evaluation of the potential locations ranked Huntsville first, adding that the decision ”should have remained in the Air Force’s purview.” Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Joe Biden picks female admiral to lead Navy. She’d be first woman on Joint Chiefs of Staff
President Joe Biden has chosen Adm. Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy, an unprecedented choice that, if she is confirmed, will make her the first woman to be a Pentagon service chief and the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Biden’s decision goes against the recommendation of his Pentagon chief. But Franchetti, the current vice chief of operations for the Navy, has broad command and executive experience and was considered by insiders to be the top choice for the job. In a statement Friday, Biden noted the historical significance of her selection and said, “Throughout her career, Admiral Franchetti has demonstrated extensive expertise in both the operational and policy arenas.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recommended that Biden select Adm. Samuel Paparo, the current commander of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, several U.S. officials said last month. But instead, Biden is nominating Paparo to lead U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. A senior administration official said Biden chose Franchetti based on the broad scope of her experience at sea and ashore, including a number of high-level policy and administrative jobs that give her deep knowledge in budgeting and running the department. At the same time, the official acknowledged that Biden understands the historical nature of the nomination and believes that Franchetti will be an inspiration to sailors, both men and women. The official spoke earlier on condition of anonymity because the nomination had not been made public. Franchetti’s nomination will join the list of hundreds of military moves that are being held up by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. He is blocking confirmation of military officers in protest of a Defense Department policy that pays for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. Biden, in his statement, blasted Tuberville for prioritizing his domestic political agenda over military readiness. “What Senator Tuberville is doing is not only wrong — it is dangerous,” Biden said. “He is risking our ability to ensure that the United States Armed Forces remain the greatest fighting force in the history of the world. And his Republican colleagues in the Senate know it.” Franchetti is slated to serve as the acting Navy chief beginning next month when Adm. Michael Gilday, the current top naval officer, retires as planned. Several women have served as military service secretaries as political appointees, but never as their top uniformed officer. A woman, Adm. Linda L. Fagan, is currently the commandant of the Coast Guard. She, however, is not a member of the Joint Staff. The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security, not the Pentagon. The news last month that the defense chief had recommended Papara stunned many in the Pentagon because it was long believed that Franchetti was in line for the top Navy job. In a statement Friday, Austin praised the nomination, saying, “I’m very proud that Admiral Franchetti has been nominated to be the first woman Chief of Naval Operations and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where she will continue to inspire all of us.” A surface warfare officer, she has commanded at all levels, heading U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. She was the second woman ever to be promoted to four-star admiral, and she did multiple deployments, including as commander of a naval destroyer and two stints as aircraft carrier strike group commander. Paparo, who, if confirmed, will replace Adm. John Aquilino, is a naval aviator and a TOPGUN graduate with more than 6,000 flight hours in Navy fighter jets and 1,100 landings on aircraft carriers. A Pennsylvania native, he graduated from Villanova University and was commissioned into the Navy in 1987. Prior to his Pacific tour, he was commander of naval forces in the Middle East, based in Bahrain, and also previously served as director of operations at U.S. Central Command in Florida. Biden also said he will nominate Vice Adm. James Kilby to be the vice chief of the Navy and tap Vice Adm. Stephen Koehler to head the Pacific Fleet. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
More than 5,000 veterans voice support for Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) has been denounced by President Joe Biden, congressional Democrats, senior leaders at the Department of Defense (DoD), and the mainstream media for his refusal to give unanimous consent to senior military and DoD civilian promotions over his objection to Biden era rules on ensuring abortion access. Tuberville, however, says he is receiving strong veteran support for his standoff with President Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the department’s decision to pay for abortion-related expenses for servicemembers using taxpayer dollars. Tuberville announced on Tuesday that he had received more than 5,000 veterans expressing their support for Senator Tuberville’s decision to place a hold on Pentagon general and flag officer promotions, joining a growing army of those backing the senator. Tuberville recently forwarded a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky). The letter from the veterans outlined the need for a strong military that is focused on fighting to preserve life rather than end it. “As current and former service members of the United States Military, and organizations which support and advocate for the safety and well-being of our service members, we firmly support Senator Tuberville’s position of holding civilian, general, and flag officers from confirmation by unanimous consent until the DoD rescinds its recently instituted policy of subsidizing abortion,” the veterans wrote. “The undersigned stand united in condemning this policy. This policy is not just illegal, it shamefully politicizes the military, circumvents the authority of Congress, and exceeds the authority of the Department of Defense.” “While some claim that Sen. Tuberville’s position is negatively impacting military readiness, the Department of Defense has failed to present any evidence that substantiates this claim,” the veterans continued. “To the contrary, it appears true that the politicized agenda of Secretary Austin and the Biden administration are significantly diminishing military readiness. The American people, including its servicemembers, are disappointed by President Biden and Secretary Austin’s recent decisions to mandate receipt of the COVID-19 vaccines, promote the radical LGBT agenda, and now subsidize abortion. Because of these policies, the military now faces an unprecedented crisis of recruitment – missing its recruitment goal for the first time ever last year. The focus of our military must be on keeping the American people safe, not advancing the left-wing social agenda.” “There is no truth more profound than the fact that all human life is sacred,” the Veterans added.“The mission of the United States Military is to defend and protect all American lives – not subsidize the practice of destroying innocent and vulnerable American children via abortion with taxpayer dollars. By pledging to hold these nominations to the Department of Defense until administration officials reverse course, Senator Tuberville is doing a great service for the American people – including its service members.” Tuberville meanwhile cites what he says is growing support for his position among Republican members of Congress. Tuberville has 20 statements of support from members of Congress. “Thank you, Senator Tuberville, for standing up for American taxpayers, who are being forced to fund abortion through the DoD. As threats against our country continue to grow, the DoD should be focused on protecting Americans instead of being an abortion travel agency,” said U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL-02). “Senator Tuberville is not blocking them on the floor. He is just saying you can’t do them by unanimous consent because President Biden has created this new abortion policy out of whole cloth. This is a moment where Senator Schumer is just trying to embarrass Senator Tuberville. Senator Tuberville is strong and passionate about the value of children and sees this as important,” said U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-Oklahoma). Sen. Tuberville was elected to the Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
