The Messenger on Congressman Garcia Demanding a Hearing on Tuberville’s ‘Catastrophic’ Military Promotion Hold

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Glenn Grothman urging him to convene a hearing to examine the damaging effects of Senator Tuberville’s decision to stall all military nominations in the Senate, which has prompted national security concerns from military leaders, bipartisan members of Congress, and other experts. Read the exclusive Messenger article here or below. 

The Messenger: House Democrat Demands Hearing on Tuberville’s ‘Catastrophic’ Military Promotion Hold

By Stephen Neukam  |  October 19, 2023

A House Democrat is clamoring for a committee hearing on the hundreds of military promotions that have been stalled in the Senate by Tommy Tuberville, arguing the Alabama Republican’s actions are “reckless.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., in a letter first shared with The Messenger, asked Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc., the chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs, to hold a hearing on the effects of Tuberville’s hold on military promotions.

“Senator Tuberville’s reckless actions have already harmed our national security,” Garcia said in the letter. “Allowing him to continue this campaign will have catastrophic national security effects.”

Tuberville’s hold on military promotions is in its seventh month, in protest over a Pentagon policy that reimburses travel expenses for service members who travel across state lines for legal reproductive care services. The policy has caught the ire of conservatives who oppose abortion, but Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions has been the most public and attention-catching protest of the policy. He has vowed he won't let up until the measure is taken away.

The hold by Tuberville, a single senator, has blocked the Senate from approving over 300 military promotions over the last year, putting less experienced officials into positions in a temporary capacity. Tuberville, however, has argued his actions haven’t affected the readiness of the U.S. military.

[...]

Garcia argued that the promotion hold has had a “damaging domino effect” on the careers of service members.

[...]

###