Republican senator continues blocking navy picks, together with cyber leaders

Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Wednesday refused to yield to his Republican colleagues and elevate his months-long maintain on almost 400 senior navy promotions, together with a number of nominees for key cybersecurity posts.

Finally, Tuberville stood and objected to 61 nominees {that a} group of GOP senators, led by Dan Sullivan (AK), tried to verify by unanimous consent, together with Air Drive Lt. Gen. Tim Haugh, U.S. Cyber Command’s deputy chief, who’s President Joe Biden’s choose to guide the digital warfighting group and the Nationwide Safety Company.

Tuberville additionally objected to the reappointment of Vice Adm. Craig Clapperton, head of the Navy’s Fleet Cyber Command.

The hours-long faceoff on the chamber flooring was the most recent growth over Tuberville’s blanket maintain, which started in February to protest a Protection Division coverage that covers the prices for navy personnel to journey to hunt an abortion.

Regardless of the anger of his colleagues, Tuberville, who represents Alabama, stated he wouldn’t budge.

“I can not merely sit idly by whereas the Biden administration injects politics in our navy from the White Home and spends taxpayers’ {dollars} on abortion,” he stated.

Different cybersecurity leaders have been caught within the Senate bottleneck, together with Military Maj. Gen. William Hartman, who has been tapped to be the subsequent No. 2 at Cyber Command, in addition to a brand new chief for Marine Corps Forces Cyber Command.

Senate Armed Companies Committee Chair Jack Reed (D-RI) is engaged on a decision that may enable most navy promotions to be grouped collectively in a single vote. That laws would require 60 votes, that means it might want the help of no less than 9 Republicans.

“Males & girls have been denied promotions. Now we have performed finest we will to honor request of a fellow senator that these nominations be delivered to flooring & voted on individually. I actually respect males of their phrase. I don’t respect males who don’t honor their phrase”
– Ernst on Tuberville pic.twitter.com/4W2dywdfLf

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) November 2, 2023