(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – A conservative US senator who has been holding Joe Biden’s Pentagon to account over its leftist and woke policies, such as using US taxpayer money to pay for abortion trips, has now come under attack from an unlikely, supposedly friendly direction – Fox News.
US Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), who is on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been holding the promotions of US military offers since earlier this year when the Defense Department decided to fund female service members’ out-of-state abortion trips.
Tuberville is now under scrutiny by Fox News for his ongoing blockade of hundreds of US military officer nominations, The Daily Caller reports.
Jennifer Griffin, a national security correspondent for Fox News, has pointedly criticized Tuberville’s actions, dwelling on their detrimental impact on the military’s operational capacity.
“Sen. Tuberville still has hold on promotions. He says it’s not hurting [the] military. It is. No vice commandant confirmed, so US Marines who are deploying to Mideast have 3 star acting Commandant. Wishing Gen Smith speedy recovery. He was working two jobs due to Tuberville[’s] hold,” Griffing declared.
This Pentagon policy, instituted in February, facilitates the travel of female military members to obtain abortions at non-military facilities.
Despite Tuberville’s stance and the broader political implications, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin maintains firm support for the policy, emphasizing its legal robustness and necessity for the welfare of female troops.
“[O]ne in five of our troops are women. And they don’t get a chance to choose where they’re stationed, so almost 80,000 of our women are stationed in places where they don’t have access to non-covered reproductive healthcare,” Austin told Tuberville.
“And I heard from our troops, I heard from our senior leaders, I heard from our chiefs and also our secretaries and this policy is based on a strong legal ground. I really implore you to reconsider and allow our nominations to move forward. It will make a significant difference for our force,” the Defense Secretary asked the Alabama senator.
Republicans, including Tuberville, argue that the DOD’s policy contravenes the Hyde Amendment, a federal directive that restricts the use of federal funds for abortion services, with specific exceptions.
The report notes that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer holds the procedural capability to confirm military nominees through regular legislative channels.
However, political analysts speculate that his inaction might be a strategic choice aimed at highlighting contentious abortion-related issues.
