A freshman Republican congressman is weighing in on why he signed a letter supporting Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., in his efforts to overturn the Pentagon’s coverage of subsidizing abortions for members of the navy by holding up the promotions of high-ranking navy officers.
“Sen. Tuberville displayed great braveness along with his willingness to face within the fireplace in opposition to the Biden [administration’s] politicization of our nation’s navy,” Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., instructed The Each day Sign in an emailed assertion. “The Division of Protection is charged with defending American lives, and the Biden [administration’s Department of Defense] is contradicting this mission with its pro-abortion agenda.”
“I’m proud to face with Sen. Tuberville to struggle this disgusting agenda in protection of life,” Crane mentioned.
Tuberville has spent months preventing in opposition to the Protection Division’s woke agenda by blocking the Senate’s approval of almost 200 promotions for navy generals and flag officers.
The letter, which was first shared with The Each day Sign, is addressed to Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Greater than 3,000 veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces signed the letter expressing their help for Tuberville and calling on the Pentagon to rescind its abortion coverage.
Crane and three different members of Congress, Reps. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.; Ronny Jackson, R-Texas; and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., joined state lawmakers, nationwide leaders, and hundreds of on a regular basis Individuals who’ve served their nation within the navy in signing the letter.
“Sen. Tuberville is threatening our nationwide safety along with his political showmanship and risking our navy readiness by depriving our armed forces of management and harming navy households,” Nationwide Safety Council spokesperson Adam Hodge instructed The Each day Sign in an emailed assertion. “We urge him to drop his holds instantly.”
The letter supporting Tuberville got here after Schumer touted a May 4 letter signed by seven former protection secretaries, together with Mark Esper and James Mattis, condemning the maintain on the promotions.
“The blanket maintain on the promotion or reassignment of those senior uniformed leaders is harming navy readiness and dangers damaging U.S. nationwide safety,” the previous protection secretaries wrote. “As a result of the Senate is required to substantiate each normal and flag officer for promotion or for reassignment, this observe has historically been a pro-forma train, besides the place there have been particular considerations about particular person nominees, which had been then dealt with individually.”
The previous protection secretaries additionally wrote, “We, subsequently, strongly urge the Senate to make sure the continued readiness of the U.S. armed forces by lifting the blanket maintain and promptly voting to substantiate these uniformed nominees.”
Along with the second letter’s signatories backing Tuberville, quite a few Republican senators have additionally expressed their help for the Alabama senator.
“Sen. [Josh] Hawley opposes the DOD abortion coverage and helps all efforts to overturn it,” a spokesperson for Hawley, R-Mo., instructed The Each day Sign in an e-mail.
Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., additionally expressed help for Tuberville’s efforts.
“I help Sen. Tuberville’s principled stand,” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., instructed The Each day Sign in an emailed assertion. “For many years, Democrats and Republicans joined collectively to forbid federal funds from getting used for abortion. To permit taxpayer-funded abortions can be a disservice to all those that have a honest non secular objection.”
“The Biden administration is radically pro-abortion. I’m glad to see Senator Tuberville take a brave stance in opposition to their unlawful motion to make use of taxpayer {dollars} to fund abortions for members of our navy,” Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., instructed The Each day Sign in an emailed assertion.
“The Pentagon is unlawfully declaring struggle on the unborn. Their coverage dodges congressional intent and can’t stand,” Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, instructed The Each day Sign in an emailed assertion. “I share Sen. Tuberville’s need to overturn this coverage and am main the Senate’s effort to undo it by laws.”
Republican Sens. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Invoice Cassidy of Louisiana, and Susan Collins of Maine have beforehand expressed concern over Tuberville’s efforts, Politico reported. McConnell can be against Tuberville’s efforts, the The Associated Press reported.
Different Senate Republicans who’ve beforehand expressed their help for Tuberville’s efforts embody Sens. JD Vance of Ohio, John Cornyn of Texas, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Todd Younger of Indiana, and John Thune and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.
The Protection Division didn’t instantly reply to The Each day Sign’s request for remark.
The Each day Sign’s Rob Bluey contributed to this report.
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