In a Washington Post op-ed published on Monday night, the civilian secretaries of the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force sharply criticized Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Alabama Republican "who is blocking the confirmation of our most senior military officers," as they put it.
Tuberville, an anti-choice conservative and staunch supporter of Donald Trump, has single-handedly placed a "blanket hold" on the appointments of all "general and flag officer nominees" in all branches of the U.S. military. He strongly opposes "Defense Department policies that ensure service members and their families have access to reproductive health" — and, more specifically, to abortion services — "no matter where they are stationed." The gist of this policy is that service members in states where abortion is now illegal or sharply restricted may travel at government expense to jurisdictions where it is permitted, a policy Tuberville and other Republicans strongly oppose.
