The Senate confirmed Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr. to become chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when Gen. Mark Milley leaves the position Oct. 1. The Senate is expected to take votes today on Gen. Randy George’s nomination to become Army chief of staff and Gen. Eric Smith’s to become Marine Corps Commandant, as Military Times reported.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) voted against confirming Brown and plans to continue his blanket hold on all senior confirmations and promotions.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that “Sen. Tuberville is forcing us to face his obstruction head-on.” But he also said Democrats will not bring up all of the more than 300 backlogged promotions individually – which would take months to complete – and that Republicans should get Tuberville to drop his blockade, which is in protest of the Pentagon’s travel policy for service members stationed in states where abortion is illegal.
Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse
