Military Promotions

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, on the Senator from Alabama's holding up military nominations, the Senator from Alabama continues his hold on-- more than 180 now--promotions, military promotions, blatantly ignoring the many warnings of the harm he is causing to our national security. It is reckless. It is just reckless.

Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned that blocking these promotions ``creates a ripple effect through the force that makes us far less ready than we need to be.''

Do you hear that, the Senator from Alabama? The Secretary of Defense is saying that what you do makes us far less ready than we need to be at a time when China and Iran and Russia are all causing all kinds of security problems and threats.

But Secretary Austin also emphasized another point, a very important point: The Senator's stonewalling is having consequences--bad consequences, heart-wrenching consequences--for our military families. By blocking these promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking pay raises for these officers and their families. By blocking these promotions, the Senator from Alabama is blocking military kids from starting at new schools, setting them back in their educations.

When a member of the military serves, their family serves, too. Does the Senator from Alabama understand the disruption and chaos he is causing for military families?

These are people serving us. They are not political. They have worked hard. They have done a good job. They got a promotion. A promotion means moving--a change of venue, a change of school. It means a career path--how long you have been at one rank and then to another.

The Senator from Alabama is playing havoc with so many military families, who are nonpolitical, who have served our country well, who thought they were ready for promotions until this cruel act of the Senator from Alabama stopped them. These military families have done nothing--nothing--to deserve the disrespect and disdain shown by the Senator from Alabama. It is insulting to our servicemembers that one Senator--just one--is holding up what has long been a routine and nonpartisan process.

Again, I urge my colleague from Alabama to think this through and stand down. We understand he has passion on the issue. We disagree with it vehemently; so do most Americans. But passion on the issue is not an excuse for causing havoc in the military in terms of force and in terms of the lives of the families.

I would again plead with my Republican colleagues, whether it is public or private, to go to the Senator from Alabama and dissuade him from his folly.

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