All articles tagged with #pentagon policy
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will not publicly release the controversial video of a second strike on a drug boat off Venezuela, citing long-standing policy and classification as 'top-secret,' despite calls from Democrats and Republicans for transparency and concerns over potential war crimes.
Advances in battlefield medicine during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, such as rapid medical response and new tourniquets, achieved unprecedented survival rates. However, post-war cost-cutting measures and outsourcing to civilian institutions have jeopardized these gains, reducing military medical readiness. The Pentagon is now reversing course to restore in-house medical care and staff, but future conflicts without air superiority may require every soldier to be trained as a medic.
Congress has passed a US defense policy bill that authorizes the largest pay increase for troops in over 20 years. The bill, which received bipartisan support, does not include provisions blocking the Pentagon's abortion travel policy or restricting gender-affirming healthcare for transgender service members. However, Republicans secured concessions on diversity and inclusion training in the military. The bill also includes a short-term extension of a surveillance program, which has drawn criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. It sets key Pentagon policy and authorizes $886 billion for national defense programs. The bill now awaits President Joe Biden's signature.
Senator Tommy Tuberville, Republican of Alabama, has announced that he will lift his blockade on nearly all military promotions that he had delayed for almost a year in protest of a Pentagon policy ensuring abortion access for service members. Tuberville will continue to block only the most senior generals. This decision comes after mounting pressure from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. The blockade had disrupted the Pentagon's ability to fill top ranks, leaving hundreds of promotions in limbo. Tuberville's reversal was met with relief, but officials urge him to drop his holds on senior military promotions as well.
Senator Tommy Tuberville has been holding up approximately 400 military promotions in objection to Pentagon rules that allow reimbursement for travel related to reproductive care. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, while sharing Tuberville's concern about the Pentagon's abortion policies, believes that blocking military promotions is not an effective way to influence Pentagon policy. Tuberville's actions have disrupted military readiness and caused a backlog of promotions. Some Republican senators have broken ranks and called for individual promotions, but Tuberville objected to each one. Democrats are considering a rules change to bypass Tuberville, but it would require 60 votes to pass the filibuster requirement.
Republican senators, including Lindsey Graham and Mitt Romney, pressured Alabama GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville on the Senate floor to end his hold on over 370 military nominations. Tuberville has been blocking the nominations to protest a Pentagon policy that funds travel expenses for service members seeking abortion and reproductive care outside their state. The senators argued that Tuberville's holds are damaging the military and preventing deserving individuals from being promoted. Tuberville objected to each individual nomination, blocking 61 nominations in total. The Senate has attempted to bypass Tuberville's hold by voting individually on key nominees, but it would take weeks to complete the process for all pending nominations. The hold is now impacting leadership positions in the Middle East amid escalating conflicts.
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) refuses to lift his hold on military promotions, despite escalating tensions between Israel and Hamas. The hold, which has been in place for seven months, is in protest of a Pentagon policy that covers travel expenses for service members seeking abortion care. Tuberville's spokesperson argues that the hold does not affect military readiness and challenges critics to confirm the nominees individually. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-R.I.) criticizes Tuberville's hold, stating that the ongoing conflict highlights its foolishness.
Military spouses are petitioning Senate leaders to intervene in Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville's hold on military promotions due to his disagreement with a Pentagon policy on abortion. Tuberville's decision has left military positions and families in limbo, causing logistical challenges and impacting national security. The Secure Families Initiative is collecting signatures on the petition and seeking support from lawmakers, while Tuberville shows no signs of relenting.