The Senate voted Wednesday to substantiate Air Drive Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. because the nation’s prime navy officer, the primary Pentagon affirmation since Sen. Tommy Tuberville blocked nominees in protest of the Protection Division’s abortion coverage.
Brown was confirmed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees by a vote of 83 to 11. He’ll succeed Normal Mark Milley, whose time period ends subsequent month.
The affirmation vote comes 4 months after President Joe Biden nominated Brown, as tensions persist over Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s months-long blockade of a whole bunch of navy promotions, opposes a Division of Protection coverage that gives go away and compensation to service members and members of the family who have to journey out of state for abortions.
Democrats and the White Home have described the procedural tactic pursued by Alabama Republicans as a menace to navy readiness, whereas Tuberville and a few Republicans have countered that Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., may recall every of the a whole bunch of nominees for a person vote. As is the case with Brown.
NBC Information beforehand reported that Schumer settled the vote on Brown earlier than Tuberville may make an analogous transfer on a unique navy nominee.
“It is about time. I have been calling for this for months,” Tuberville informed reporters Wednesday earlier than the vote on Brown’s affirmation, claiming Schumer’s transfer was a win on his half.
In calling for a vote, Schumer accused Tuberville of attempting to behave as a “gatekeeper” to navy assertions.
“The hurt it inflicts on navy personnel and their households continues to exist, and sadly continues for a whole bunch extra,” Schumer stated.
Brown would be the first Air Drive chief since 2005, when Gen. Richard B. Myers, President Invoice Clinton’s nominee, completed his time period.
Brown most lately served as chief of employees of the U.S. Air Drive, a job he assumed in 2020 when the then-Republican-controlled Senate held a historic vote to substantiate him as the primary Black officer to command one of many nation’s navy providers.
Biden praised Brown’s {qualifications} as an skilled pilot with greater than 3,000 flight hours, together with 130 hours in fight, and known as him a “warrior” and a “relentless and extremely efficient chief.”