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‘A Matter Of Political Will’: Biden And A GOP Senator Are Duking It Out Over Abortion, And Neither One Is Backing Down

  • Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville’s curb on military promotions threatens to the core of President Joe Biden’s policies, making it difficult for either side to back down.
  • Tuberville claims the Pentagon’s abortion travel policy is against the law and refuses to lift the hold until the White House decides on the policy.
  • “The life of an unborn child, as you know, [Tuberville] Dakota Wood, Senior Fellow for Defense at the Heritage Foundation, told DCNF.

The White House is pressuring Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville to lift his hold on the nomination as senior Senate nominations for the Department of Defense (DOD) pile up.

On one side is Tuberville. To tell He opposes abortion on principle, and since at least March, he has held the position of General prevented the promotion of On the other side of the debate are defense officials who say pending approval of senior officials is jeopardizing readiness, and President Joe Biden himself, who has made abortion the cornerstone of his administration, bowing to Mr. Tuberville’s ruse. They are trying to jeopardize their policies by doing so.

“Of course, it could also be a question of who is in power. If the administration yields, Senators will see Tuberville’s tactics as a success. We’re going to have to reconcile the absolute statement somehow. rice field.

Mr. Tuberville is calling on the administration to roll back a policy that amounts to “taxpayer-initiated abortion,” which is illegal except in rare circumstances, he said. Said Punchbowl news for March.

Biden ranted He criticized Tuberville’s “ridiculous” position at Thursday’s press conference. (Related: Biden risks vacating top Navy role but accuses GOP senator of blocking nomination of top Marine candidate)

“He’s endangering the security of the United States with his actions. I hope the Republican Party will stand up, stand up and do something about this,” Biden said.

Biden plans to make access to abortion a central tenet of 2024 election campaign, Politico report, quoting current and former administrations and election staff as red states crack down on the practice in post-law America. The administration sees ensuring access to abortion as a key indicator of success and plans to pressure Congress to enact the broad abortion system that existed under Roe v. Wade.

Days after the Supreme Court handed over abortion-regulating authority to states in June 2022, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said: promised Protect access to abortion for female military personnel in accordance with federal law. Austin’s statement has alerted experts who fear the Pentagon will seek to override federal and state laws on abortion.

secretary made official In February, it expanded leave permits for female soldiers stationed in areas with strict abortion laws who need to travel long distances out of state to get an abortion.concurrent policy secured The Department of Defense will pay for travel expenses for abortions and some fertility treatments for any reason.

Tuberville argues that the policy blurs legal lines. The Hyde Amendment prohibits the federal government from covering abortions except in rare cases.

“Coaches have been saying all along, ‘This is a two-way street.’ Second Austin could put an end to this controversy today,” Senator spokesman Stephen Stafford told DCNF.

And he has so far refused to unblock is more than 260 senior officers will be promoted until Austin withdraws its February policy.

Experts are skeptical, although the Pentagon and the White House have said Mr. Tuberville’s detention endangers national security.

“Lloyd Austin issued an order that included paid leave and travel subsidies to get an abortion, a policy that we believe violates federal law. The power of propaganda is evident in the fact that so little is said or written about this controversy that we have the power to end it,” said Elaine Donnelly, director of the Military Readiness Center. told DCNF.

Wood suspected that Tuberville’s rule would have a significant effect on military preparations and recruitment, as most armies and future servicemen have major problems to worry about.

“The life of an unborn child, as you know, [Tuberville] I stand up for myself and take precedence,” Wood said. Senators regularly use the hold as leverage, but “it is largely ignored by the public until it has a personal impact,” he added.

Mr. Tuberville’s actions also put him at odds with others within his own party.

But in Congress, several top Republican leaders be against Those involved in the administration of the Pentagon and abortion in general, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, are trying to distance themselves from Mr. Tuberville’s tactics over concerns about military readiness, The said. Reported by The Hill. report.

“I think the longer this situation drags on, the more problematic it will be for the military to function and operate in the way the American people expect it to. South Dakota Republican Senator John Tune said on Tuesday: according to to the Associated Press.

The question is “whether the president and senior defense appointees will conclude that this policy goal is more or less important than the impact of Senator Tuberville’s control over the military,” Wood said. told to

Democrats and the Biden administration have accused Mr. Tuberville of hypocrisy, raising a personal agenda over the military’s health and well-being and creating uncertainty within the military, Politico reported. report.

other watchers quarrel The Biden administration is not taking this fight seriously.

Now retired Marine General Berger stepped down as Marine commander on Monday, leaving the military for the first time in more than a century without a formal commander. Such vacancies disrupt the well-defined chain of command that is the foundation of the Pentagon’s military. Said Thursday.

Stafford said senators are hoping for a vote in the House for the chairman to avoid the suspension, but can It will take several hours.

The suspension also applies to family members and junior officers awaiting changes in rank, rank, and service location, Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, whom Biden has named chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and one of the officers affected by the suspension. Has a trickle-down effect. , Said remarks on a parliamentary panel at Tuesday’s approval hearing. “Because of this situation, we will lose people,” he added.

The policy “adds an unnecessary level of stress to an already very stressful situation,” said Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the conservative Hudson Institute. Said Financial Times.

The White House did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

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