Some of Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) Republican colleagues are starting to worry about his blocking almost 200 Pentagon nominees, The Hill reported. Tuberville is protesting DOD’s new policy to provide time off and travel reimbursement for service members who need to travel for reproductive health care.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), ranking Republican on the defense appropriations subcommittee, said she doesn’t like seeing nonpartisan military appointments held up for political reasons.

“I would prefer that Sen. Tuberville focus his holds on political appointees,” Collins said Wednesday, according to the report. “They’re the ones who make the policy. I think that would be an equally effective and better approach, but obviously, the approach he chooses is up to him.”

Another Senate Republican, speaking to The Hill anonymously, said the holds pose a national security threat.

“It’s not a time for us to be divided; it’s also not a time to not have all of our players on the field,” the member said.

The Hill reported that some members hoped Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would intervene upon returning after a medical absence, which has apparently not happened.

The Senate did sign off on some junior military promotions Thursday by unanimous consent, but they were not the nominations Tuberville has blocked.

The Hill photo by Greg Nash