Senate Confirms State Department Nominees, Tuberville's Military Hold Persists

The Senate confirmed a slate of State Department nominees, including ambassadors to several countries, after Republican Senator Rand Paul reached a deal with the State Department to release holds on nominees in exchange for records on the origins of COVID. However, Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville's hold on military nominations remains unresolved due to his protest against a Pentagon abortion policy. Senate Democrats refuse to work on releasing Tuberville's hold, placing the responsibility on the Republican Senate caucus. The confirmations are seen as a victory for US leadership and democracy, while pressure mounts on Tuberville to resolve the impasse.