Senate Overcomes Tuberville's Hold to Confirm Gen. C.Q. Brown as Chairman of Joint Chiefs

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Gen. C.Q. Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, overcoming a monthslong hold on military promotions by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. The hold had affected over 300 military promotions and left key military positions vacant.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took the step of having the nominations for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Marine Corps commandant, and the Army chief of staff voted on separately, breaking from the bloc of holds imposed by Tuberville. Votes to confirm the new Army chief of staff and the new Marine Corps commandant are scheduled for Thursday.

The Alabama senator's hold was rooted in his opposition to a Defense Department policy that reimburses travel costs for service members who need to cross state lines to seek an abortion. Despite pressure from members of his own party, Tuberville refused to lift the holds, forcing Schumer to set up individual votes on each nominee.

Schumer criticized Tuberville's tactics in a Senate floor speech, warning that such obstruction could set a dangerous precedent. "The Senate runs on unanimous consent, and we depend on each other to ensure this institution functions smoothly," Schumer said. "If everyone objected to everything, to get leverage for their pet priorities, it will grind this body to a halt."

While some Senate Democrats questioned whether it was a mistake for Schumer not to insist on group voting, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine expressed optimism that the tide would turn against the holds. "We're going to move and keep the pressure on," Kaine said, citing support from veterans' groups like VFW and VoteVets.

Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the ranking Republican member on the Armed Services Committee, also supported the decision to vote on the nominees individually, calling it a "positive step."

However, Tuberville warned that his blockade would continue as long as the Pentagon's abortion policy remained in place. "So, to be clear, my hold is still in place. The hold will remain in place as long as the Pentagon’s illegal abortion policy remains in place. If the Pentagon lifts the policy, then I will lift my hold. It’s easy as that," he said.

The confirmation of Gen. C.Q. Brown marks a significant step in filling a key military role, but it also highlights the challenges of navigating a deeply divided Senate where individual senators can wield significant power to stall nominations and disrupt the functioning of government.