Gen. David Allvin, President Joe Biden’s pick to be the Air Force’s next top officer, breezed through his nomination hearing Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, even as panel members acknowledged that he likely wouldn’t be confirmed anytime soon.
That’s because of Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing blockade of senior military promotions, which has held up Senate confirmation of more than 300 general and flag officer selections over the Pentagon’s abortion policy.
Though most senators sidestepped the topic during Allvin’s hearing, those who didn’t dug into their respective camps, with Democrats calling for an end to the hold and Republicans pushing chamber leadership to schedule individual votes on the Defense Department’s top brass.
