Chuck Schumer vows to promote the 11 four-star generals STILL under GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s military hold before allowing the Senate to leave DC for Christmas break

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed Tuesday that the Senate “will not leave town” until all remaining military promotions blocked by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville are finally confirmed.

For 10 months, the Republican and former Alabama football coach used his power to protest the Pentagon's policy of using taxpayer money to pay for abortion-related travel expenses, blocking more than 400 military nominees.

In early December, Tuberville finally lifted his block on all but eleven promotions, after members of his own party joined the Democrats and pressured him to concede.

Schumer said Tuesday he would push through the 11 remaining promotions for four-star generals before the Senate is cleared to go home for the Christmas holidays.

But Tuberville has no plans to make it easy for the top Democrat.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said he kept a hold on 11 four-star generals but would lift his hold on military promotions after a months-long blockade.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said he kept a hold on 11 four-star generals but would lift his hold on military promotions after a months-long blockade.

He previously said he wants votes and confirmation votes per nominee, which would amount to about 22 hours of voting before all promotions are confirmed. However, he might eventually relent and allow for a quicker confirmation.

Tuberville's spokesperson told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that it is “only reasonable” that the Senate would consider each nominee individually before beginning “rubber stamping.”

Who are the eleven remaining military promotion holders?

  • Vice Admiral William J. Houston
  • Vice Admiral James W. Kilby
  • Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Schneider
  • General Kenneth S. Wilsbach
  • Lieutenant General Gregory M. Guillot
  • Lt. Gen. Timothy D. Haugh
  • Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein
  • Lieutenant General Stephen Whiting
  • Lieutenant General James J. Mingus
  • Lt. Gen. James C. Slife
  • Vice Admiral Stephen T. Koehler

“Four-star generals and admirals have some of the most important jobs in the world,” the spokesperson said.

“It's only fair that the U.S. Senate considers them individually and votes on them, rather than simply rubber-stamping them.”

However, Schumer's threat to remain in the Senate will likely fall on deaf ears, as only 61 of the 100 senators are actually still in DC. The rest left early for the Christmas holidays amid negotiations with the White House to include border security measures in a $110 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel that won't be voted on until January.

Senior military officials still under the last remaining authority include nominees for vice chiefs of the Air Force, Navy, Army and Space Force.

Additionally, the individuals are believed to be promoted to the nation's top commanders: Cyber ​​Command, Northern Command, Space Command, Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command.

In nominating Vice Adm. James W. Kilby as the next vice chief of naval operations, President Joe Biden said he has done an “excellent job” of ensuring the Navy is “combat ready and globally deployable.”

And Vice Admiral Stephen T. “Web” Koehler, whose promotion to commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet remains pending, has done crucial work in the Indo-Pacific, which is important as China increases its aggression against Taiwan.

Schumer said Monday that the Senate is “working to get the job done by the end of this week.”

“In years past, four-star generals would have been appointed quickly.” Schumer wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“But Senator Tuberville put his illogical, hurtful, and dangerous hold on these highly qualified and dedicated nominees,” he continued.

Tuberville, a social conservative from Alabama, began blocking confirmations for top Pentagon posts in March to protest a Pentagon policy issued last year that provides paid leave and reimbursement for military personnel traveling for abortions to get.

Vice Admiral James W. Kilby was promoted to the next vice chief of naval operations

Vice Admiral James W. Kilby was promoted to the next vice chief of naval operations

Vice Admiral Stephen T. “Webb” Koehler's promotion to commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet remains on hold

Vice Admiral Stephen T. “Webb” Koehler's promotion to commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet remains on hold

That policy came after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving some military personnel stationed at bases where they could not access the proceedings.

President Biden previously called the Tuberville hold “ridiculous” and brought it up in numerous speeches in recent months.

The White House highlighted the strain on the chain of command and on military families during the war in Ukraine and threats in the Pacific — exacerbated by Israel's war against Hamas.

Tuberville has insisted that Democrats “don't love the unborn” and that they “don't care about the military,” or they would have negotiated with him sooner.

'Everyone said: these men and women need promotion. Well, these young unborns will never have a chance at a promotion because they want to kill them before they are born,” he said in previous remarks.

But even his own Republican colleagues were critical of Tuberville's continued grip.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told DailyMail.com last week that she has been in “contact” with some of the 11 service members in anticipation of their promotion.

“We hope we go ahead and vote on it this week,” she said. And put this to bed.”

“We would rather they just be released and we can move forward with unanimous consent.” But if necessary, Schumer really needs to get them on the agenda so we can vote for them,” she added to DailyMail.com.

Sen. Chuck Schumer said Monday that the Senate is

Sen. Chuck Schumer said Monday that the Senate is “working to finish the job by the end of this week.”

“We hope we go ahead and just vote on it this week,” Senator Joni Ernst told DailyMail.com.  And just put this to bed'

“We hope we go ahead and just vote on it this week,” Senator Joni Ernst told DailyMail.com. And just put this to bed'

Tuberville fired back at his fellow Republicans, who “attacked” him on the ground and called it “unfortunate.”

'Once again, there is no one who supports the army more than I do. But they are currently in the military and stood up for their colleagues, and that's fine.”

“But I can stand and we can all stand up for the lives of the unborn and for our military. You can do both,” he said in a speech on December 6.