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Floor Speech

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Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, I want to express how deeply concerned I am about the senior Senator from Alabama's blockade of senior military promotions, which threatens to leave hundreds of nonpolitical, routine military positions unfilled, all because he wants to repeal the Department of Defense's policy that allows servicemembers to be able to seek and travel for reproductive care.

This is a move that risks our national security in order to rob our servicemembers of their ability to make their own family planning decisions, servicemembers who, frankly, are sacrificing so much to keep our country safe.

So failure--failure--to fill these positions poses a risk to our Nation's military readiness and our ability to ensure that these critical roles are filled with the personnel that we need.

Don't just take my word for it. Seven--seven--former Secretaries of Defense from both Democratic and Republican administrations have voiced their concern and opposition to these holds.

Secretary Austin and General Milley have also repeatedly stated that these delays pose a clear risk--a clear risk--to America's military readiness.

In a moment, I will be asking the Senate to confirm by unanimous consent Calendar No. 110. Included in this batch of 23 routine military promotions is the current vice commander of the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. This is the home of our Air Force fighter pilots right in Nevada, where America's air combat tactics are developed, where they are refined, and where they are perfected to ensure that we keep pace with current and emerging threats.

Training and instruction take place right at the Nevada Test and Training Range, which provides the largest air and ground military training space in the continental United States for testing and evaluation of weapons systems and advanced air combat training.

Because of one Senator's anti-choice blockade, the vice commander of the Air Force Warfare Center in my great State of Nevada, which oversees more than 13,000 military and civilian personnel, is unable to receive the promotion and the pay increase that he deserves. He is unable to transition to his next duty assignment, and his replacement is unable to assume their duties and move their family to Las Vegas.

This hurts military families. This hurts Nevada. This hurts the United States of America.

We will also experience several high-ranking vacancies that are going to be left open because of this senseless blockade, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the top leaders of the Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, and even the commander of U.S. Cyber Command.

We have a responsibility to keep our Nation safe, to protect our homeland and our troops all around the world. That begins by making sure that we have the appropriate professionals in top positions to lead our servicemembers. Nothing--I repeat, nothing--could be more important than that.

I strongly urge my colleagues to stop playing politics. I strongly urge them to end this anti-choice blockade so that we can fill critical military positions like those in my home State of Nevada and around the world. We cannot waste any more time.

110; that the Senate vote on the nomination without intervening action or debate; that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate; that any statements related to the nomination be printed in the Record; and that the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

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Ms. ROSEN. I thank the Presiding Officer so much for saying ``Nevada'' properly. I urge the rest of my colleagues to learn the proper pronunciation for our great State of Nevada.

With that, I am going to respond to the objection by my esteemed colleague Senator Tuberville.

The senior Senator from Alabama is preventing this body from confirming dozens of key promotions. We do know who these military promotions are. They have been serving proudly and with distinction in our military. They are not unknown to us. They deserve their promotions.

The Senator is threatening our military readiness and our national security, and we can confirm these nominations right now if the Senator ends his blockade. Every day--every day--these holds persist, every day the Senator persists, he risks the U.S. national security and he risks our military readiness. Because we lack officials in key posts across the military at this critical time, we know we need to do this en bloc. It is what we have been doing.

These men and women, serving proudly, are ready for their promotions, ready to take their next duty step.

I just want to make one point before I go. Make no mistake, our adversaries--they are watching this very closely. Russia, China, Iran, and others--they understand how this hurts our military, and they will look and find a way to take advantage of this.

So I am deeply disappointed that the Senator is continuing to object. We hope he will reconsider.

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