Senate Considers Rule Change to Overcome Tuberville’s Blockade on Military Promotions

In a pivotal move this week, the Senate Rules Committee is set to challenge Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s extended hold on military nominations, signaling a potential breakthrough in the months-long deadlock. The outcome remains uncertain, hinging on whether there will be sufficient Republican support for the proposed plan.

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On Tuesday, the committee will deliberate a groundbreaking proposal to streamline consideration for approximately 350 pending nominations through a single parliamentary maneuver—a departure from traditional Senate procedures. While the plan is anticipated to easily clear the committee, its fate in the full Senate depends on garnering Republican cooperation for final approval.

Sen. Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, has maintained a blockade on expedited consideration for routine senior military promotions and confirmations since the spring. His objections stem from the Defense Department’s abortion access policy. Despite mounting pressure from several GOP colleagues in recent days, urging him to lift the holds due to cascading leadership challenges, Tuberville has thus far remained steadfast in his stance. The upcoming rules committee meeting on Tuesday aims to compel a resolution on this issue, as Democratic leaders and top Pentagon officials assert that the standoff has endured for too long.

Legislative Agenda for November 14-15, 2023

Date	Committee	Time	Location	Topic	Speakers	Focus
Nov. 14	House Foreign Affairs	10a.m.	Visitors Center H210	Afghanistan Policy	John Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction	Effects of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
Nov. 14	House Transportation	10a.m.	2167 Rayburn	Coast Guard Operations	Service officials	Current operations discussion
Nov. 14	House Oversight and Accountability	10a.m.	2154 Rayburn	General Services Administration	Robin Carnahan, GSA Administrator	Testimony on agency-related issues
Nov. 14	House Foreign Affairs	2 p.m.	Visitors Center H210	Afghanistan Withdrawal	Outside advocates	Impact of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan
Nov. 14	House Veterans’ Affairs	2 p.m.	360 Cannon	Suicide Prevention	VA officials	Testimony on new veteran suicide prevention therapies
Nov. 14	Senate Rules	3 p.m.	301 Russell	Military Nomination Rules	Senators	Debate on changes to military confirmation policies
Nov. 15	House Homeland Security	9 a.m.	310 Cannon	Worldwide Threats	Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Security Secretary, and other senior officials	Testimony on threats facing the U.S.
Nov. 15	House Armed Services	10 a.m.	2118 Rayburn	U.S. Strategic Posture	Members of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the U.S.	Testimony on findings regarding U.S. strategic posture
Nov. 15	House Foreign Affairs	10 a.m.	Visitors Center H210	Azerbaijan	Regional experts	Testimony on the conflict between Azerbaijan leadership and officials from Nagorno-Karabakh region
Nov. 15	House Veterans’ Affairs	12 p.m.	360 Cannon	Electronic Health Records	VA officials	Update on electronic health records modernization program
Nov. 15	Senate Small Business	2:30 p.m.	428-A Russell	Veteran Entrepreneurship	Outside experts	Testimony on opportunities for veteran entrepreneurs
Nov. 15	Senate Veterans’ Affairs	3:30 p.m.	418 Russell	VA Emergency Preparedness	VA officials	Testimony on department response responsibilities in national emergencies

This week’s legislative agenda underscores the multifaceted challenges facing the U.S. government, from military confirmation policies to global threats and critical veteran-related issues. Stay informed as the Senate navigates these crucial discussions, potentially reshaping the landscape of military promotions and broader national security considerations.