Pro-life Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican from Alaska, has expressed frustration with Senator Tommy Tuberville over his unilateral block on military confirmations due to the Pentagon’s policy on abortions. In a recent development, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, is proposing a legal route to overturn the Pentagon’s abortion policy, with the support of conservative attorney Jay Sekulow.
Graham is confident that a lawsuit could be brought against the Department of Defense, arguing that the policy violates the 1976 Hyde Amendment. This amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortion services, except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk. Graham believes that such legal action could be successful in court, citing previous court actions that have reined in the Biden administration.
Another potential avenue for challenging the policy is the National Defense Authorization Act, a military defense spending bill that Congress needs to agree on by the end of December. The House’s version of the bill, which passed earlier this year, dismantled the abortion policy along with other controversial GOP issues. However, it is unlikely that the Democrat-controlled Senate will agree to pass the House’s package.
Senator Tuberville has been unwavering in his protest against the Department of Defense reimbursing service members for abortion procedures for nearly nine months. The Democrat-led rules committee recently passed a resolution to override Tuberville’s objection and move forward with military promotions. However, nine Republicans would need to vote alongside Senate Democrats to pass the resolution.
Despite his opposition to the Pentagon’s abortion policy, Senator Graham has stated that he will not vote with the Democrats. He is prepared to find alternative solutions without changing the structure of the Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, also voted against the resolution, despite his previous skepticism of Tuberville’s holds.
It remains to be seen if Tuberville will be open to trading his objection for legal action. So far, he has remained steadfast in his stance, even after Republican lawmakers, including Graham, Todd Young, Dan Sullivan, and Joni Ernst, took to the Senate floor for hours to voice their opposition to his blockade.
In response to the situation, Tuberville’s office stated that he is exploring all feasible options to end the Pentagon’s illegal and immoral policy.
This article provides an overview of the ongoing conflict between Republican senators and Senator Tuberville over the Pentagon’s abortion policy. It highlights Senator Graham’s proposed legal route to challenge the policy and the potential impact it could have on the Biden administration. The article also touches on the alternative avenue of the National Defense Authorization Act and the political dynamics within the Senate.
