As the Senate plots on how to end the nine-month hold on hundreds of Pentagon nominees, Democrats have offered a way out.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is offering a resolution to change Senate procedure and allow the nominees to move as a bloc rather than individually.
But the suggestion is so far viewed by senators as an emergency option.
And Sen. Rick Scott (R-FLa.) is warning against the resolution, arguing it would disempower individual senators.
“I support Tommy,” Scott told The Hill. “We ought to respect that a person has a different position, and actually I support his position.”
Still, Republicans are growing increasingly disillusioned with the holds and met Tuesday to figure out how to end it.
The Tuberville blockade prevents the Senate from using the traditional process of approving batches of people at a time.
Instead, the Senate must now approve them individually, which takes a lot of time. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has only moved some of the most important nominees under this procedure.
Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Tuberville’s block is impacting the nomination of the commander of the Navy’s 5th Fleet, among others.
“The list goes on,” she said. “These holds have a direct affect on our military readiness.”
Tuberville’s holds are in protest to a Defense Department policy on abortion passed last year.
