Sen. Tuberville To Drop Some Holds on Military Promotions

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) told reporters Tuesday that he is dropping his senatorial “holds” on hundreds of promotions of U.S. military officials awaiting Senate confirmation, but he is continuing to block approval votes on the most highly ranked candidates. The senator will continue his holds for four-star general nominees, but all other promotions will be released from the blockage he imposed in February. The Alabama Republican exercised the privilege of all 100 senators to put a legislative hold on nominations submitted for Senate approval by the president as a means of protesting the Department of Defense’s decision to begin covering travel expenses for women in the military who must travel to a state other than where they are stationed in order to obtain abortions....