The cavalry is coming to help Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
For months, the Alabama Republican has waged a fight against the Defense Department’s woke agenda by blocking the Senate’s approval of nearly 200 promotions for military generals and flag officers.
The military establishment, Senate Democrats, and the Biden administration have resorted to name-calling and unfounded warnings—even though Tuberville insists he won’t budge until the Pentagon reverses its policy subsidizing abortions. Two weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., touted a letter from seven former secretaries of defense to make his case.
Today, a significantly larger number of current and retired service members announced they’re backing Tuberville.
In a new letter shared first with The Daily Signal, more than 3,000 veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. armed forces are expressing their support for Tuberville and calling on the Pentagon to rescind its abortion policy. Four members of Congress joined state lawmakers, national leaders, and thousands of everyday Americans who have served their country in the military.
“The undersigned stand united in condemning this policy,” they write in the letter to Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “This policy is not just illegal, it shamefully politicizes the military, circumvents the authority of Congress, and exceeds the authority of the Department of Defense.” . . .
. . . Last week, a group of House conservatives stood with Tuberville on the Senate floor. Previously, CatholicVote organized pro-life and conservative leaders to enlist their grassroots organizations to aid his effort. And now a diverse group of service members and veterans are speaking out in support.
Their letter directly refutes the claim by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his seven predecessors that Tuberville’s actions are affecting military readiness. Democrat senators, led by Schumer, have repeatedly made this assertion—without factual evidence—to attack Tuberville.
“Over the past few months, the senior senator from Alabama has singlehandedly hindered our national security by blocking hundreds of critical military appointments,” Schumer alleged Monday. “Those holds are hamstringing our military. According to former secretaries of defense who served presidents of both parties, this blanket hold ‘is harming military readiness and risks damaging U.S. national security.’”
Beyond broad warnings about military readiness, however, Democrats are unable to point to specific examples proving their case.
The letter from service members suggests the real readiness problem is a result of Austin’s actions as secretary and the “politicized agenda” of the Biden administration.
“The American people, including its service members, are disappointed by President [Joe] Biden and Secretary Austin’s recent decisions to mandate receipt of the COVID-19 vaccines, promote the radical LGBT agenda, and now subsidize abortion,” they write.
“Because of these policies, the military now faces an unprecedented crisis of recruitment—missing its recruitment goal for the first time ever last year. The focus of our military must be on keeping the American people safe, not advancing the left-wing social agenda.”
Even when Democrats have pressed military leaders for evidence, they’ve come up empty.
At an April 20 hearing, Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., asked U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Cmdr. John Aquilino about the consequences of Tuberville’s hold on readiness in the region. Aquilino responded, “Operationally … no impact, because Seventh Fleet commanders are not going anywhere until the proper replacement is in place.”
Retired three-star Gen. Jerry Boykin, executive vice president at the Family Research Council, flatly rejected the idea when FRC President Tony Perkins asked him if Tuberville’s effort was endangering the U.S. military. Boykin responded, “No, it is not.”
“In the military,” Boykin added, “you don’t replace somebody until you have a replacement for them, which means the person holding that slot stays there until he has a replacement. This whole thing is more propaganda than anything else.” . . . . (read more on The Daily Signal)
See the Letter (pdf)
Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell,
As current and former service members of the United States Military, and organizations which support and advocate for the safety and well-being of our service members, we firmly support Senator Tuberville’s position of holding civilian, general, and flag officers from confirmation by unanimous consent until the DoD rescinds its recently instituted policy of subsidizing abortion.
The undersigned stand united in condemning this policy. This policy is not just illegal, it shamefully politicizes the military, circumvents the authority of Congress, and exceeds the authority of the Department of Defense.
While some claim that Sen. Tuberville’s position is negatively impacting military readiness, the Department of Defense has failed to present any evidence that substantiates this claim.
To the contrary, it appears true that the politicized agenda of Secretary Austin and the Biden administration are significantly diminishing military readiness.
The American people, including its servicemembers, are disappointed by President Biden and Secretary Austin’s recent decisions to mandate receipt of the COVID-19 vaccines, promote the radical LGBT agenda, and now subsidize abortion.
Because of these policies, the military now faces an unprecedented crisis of recruitment – missing its recruitment goal for the first time ever last year.
The focus of our military must be on keeping the American people safe, not advancing the left-wing social agenda.
There is no truth more profound than the fact that all human life is sacred.
The mission of the United States Military is to defend and protect all American lives – not subsidize the practice of destroying innocent and vulnerable American children via abortion with taxpayer dollars.
By pledging to hold these nominations to the Department of Defense until administration officials reverse course, Senator Tuberville is doing a great service for the American people – including its service members.
Sincerely,
Tuberville Is Right To Hold The Line Against The Pentagon’s Taxpayer-Funded Abortions (The Federalist, 16 MAY 23)
By Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, US Army ret and Lt. Col. James J. Carafano, ret
America’s military is facing a major recruiting crisis and growing threats from China and other belligerents.
Yet the Biden administration is pushing taxpayer-funded abortions, among other woke agenda items, that are rightfully fueling fears that a politicized Pentagon won’t be able to defend our country.
Whether it’s climate change, subsidizing abortions, or the woke trio of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Defense Department’s top brass is in lockstep with the radical left’s political agenda.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is overseeing these sweeping changes and harming our military’s readiness as a result.
Too few political leaders are standing up to challenge this damaging agenda. Fortunately, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, isn’t shying away from the fight.
Over the past several months, Tuberville has blocked the promotions of senior military officers, refusing to budge until the Pentagon reverses its policy subsidizing abortions.
He’s taking heat from Democrats and Republicans, but he’s fully within his rights and consistent with his duties and responsibility as a senator to withhold consent as he demands changes from Pentagon leadership.
Let’s be absolutely clear: The Pentagon’s new abortion policy has everything to do with activist politics and nothing to do with Congress’s obligation to raise and maintain armed forces to provide for the common defense. . . . . (read more)
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