Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On The Senate Unanimously Confirming Hundreds Of Military Nominees And Promotions Needlessly Delayed By Senator Tuberville’s Reckless And Dangerous Hold

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the Senate unanimously confirming hundreds of military nominees after Senator Tuberville released his reckless hold on most of the nominees. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Yesterday, ten months of pain and uncertainty finally came to an end for hundreds – hundreds – of military nominees and their families.

Senator Tuberville, after months of obstruction, stubbornness, and reckless disregard for military readiness, withdrew his blanket holds on over 400 generals and flag officers.

And in the span of just a few minutes of floor time, the Senate unanimously confirmed nearly every single one of them to their posts. Thank God, these military officers finally got the promotions they so rightfully earned. But it should not have taken so long.

If there is one word that underscores why we prevailed on Senator Tuberville, it is persistence. For months, I said it would be up to our Republican colleagues to talk some sense into Senator Tuberville and get him to relent in his holds. Senators Ernst and Sullivan stepped up to the plate and deserve a lot of commendation for their courage, for their strength.

And as I predicted, the frustration and pressure on the senior Senator from Alabama eventually won out. We were persistent and persistent and persistent and held the line that military nominees should never – never – become pawns to push a partisan agenda.

So, let this be a warning: no one – no one – should attempt blanket holds on our military ever again. After all the damage he caused, Senator Tuberville has nothing – absolutely nothing – to show for his obstruction, except for the harm done to our military and the pain caused to military families. His reckless strategy did not succeed, and if in the future others try to hold up military appointments to get their way, they too will fail.

Again: let this be a warning that no one should ever hold up military appointments again. We cannot cave to any single member’s views, no matter how strongly felt. I don't doubt Senator Tuberville feels the issue very strongly, opposite of what I feel. But when our military families are at stake, we should not use these strong feelings to hold them hostage. What the senior Senator from Alabama did through his holds was bring the Senate to a new low, and in the end it was all for nothing.

I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who spoke in defense of our military families.

I want to thank particularly Senator Reed, the Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Senator Klobuchar, the Chair of the Rules Committee. I also want to thank Senator Sinema, who was instrumental in creating bipartisan support for our resolution.

On the Republican side, I want to once again thank Senators Ernst and Sullivan for their courage in helping break the logjam after so, so many months. Because senators on both sides persisted and held the line, this sad chapter in the Senate is finally over.

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