For months now, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has been steadfastly opposing the Pentagon's illegal abortion policy allowing for service members and their dependents to receive paid time off for abortion and even travel expenses if the procedure is done in another state. In holding up military promotions and nominees from being confirmed by unanimous consent, Tuberville has pointed out that the policy is in violation of 10 U.S.C. 1093, but the Biden administration has refused to budge as it looks for more ways to saturate the military with even more woke politics.
There's been phone calls here and there between Tuberville and the Department of Defense (DOD), including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, but no signs that the administration is willing to budge. In fact, the White House, including President Joe Biden himself, continue to smear and spread falsehoods about the senator's tactics.
Last week, it was revealed that the Biden administration decided to reverse plans from the Trump administration to move Space Command from what was supposed to be its temporary location in Colorado over to Alabama.
Curiously enough, one of Colorado's Democratic senators, Michael Bennet, has been among those most vocal in condemning Tuberville for standing up for the rule of law and for taxpayers, in addition to unborn life. Colorado is also one of the most pro-abortion states in the country.
Reporting from The Hill at the time the decision was announced quotes at length those familiar with the situation, both named and unnamed, who claim that the decision was supposedly only made due to "national security" and "readiness." Meanwhile, this is a military whose readiness has already been negatively impacted by the failed priorities of this administration.
Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby was chief among them. "This was really a decision based on one thing and one thing only for a president and that was operational readiness," Kirby told CNN last Monday. "He took the inputs of many leaders across the Department of Defense that when it came down to it, he believes that it’s in the best national security interest of the country if we leave Space Command in Colorado."
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Kirby had also gone on a tirade last month claiming that taxpayer funds being used for paid time off for abortion and potentially even travel expenses is "just the darn right thing to do." This is in addition to, according to Kirby, how abortion is a form of "care" that service members and their dependents are owed and something they can "expect" from the military and that it's even "a foundational, sacred obligation of military leaders."
John Kirby goes on a minutes-long tirade trying to explain why abortion is necessary for military readiness. pic.twitter.com/o0ry8lHjNx
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 17, 2023
The move drew strong reactions, including but not only from Tuberville who emphasized the role that politics played. "This is not over," he pledged, a view held by other members of the Alabama delegation.
While the administration may argue that it is supposedly better to keep headquarters at its temporary location, critics point out that the DOD has determined Huntsville, Alabama to be the best location. So much for keeping to "national security" and "readiness."
A press release with the senator's statement background information explained how, in 2020, "the U.S. Air Force conducted an extensive search for the best location for the new home of SPACECOM, reviewing objective criteria like infrastructure, costs, mission capability, and the quality of the local community. Sixty-six different locations in twenty-six states were evaluated, and in the end, Redstone ranked number one."
More recently, in March, Tuberville questioned General James Dickinson, commander of SPACECOM, which "prompted General Dickinson to confirm the process that chose Alabama as the number one choice for SPACECOM."
(2/2) This is not over.
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) August 1, 2023
Full statement below. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/DCYTlFBHVi
Space Command belongs in Huntsville, Alabama. pic.twitter.com/iQ7gAGNZ2K
— Gary Palmer (@USRepGaryPalmer) July 31, 2023
Rep. Dale Strong, another member of the Alabama delegation, had some particularly biting words in calling to mind the Biden administration's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan in his response.
🧵@POTUS has made a habit out of not listening to the best advice of his top advisors… Exhibit A: Afghanistan… Exhibit B: taking away authority to allow the military to self discipline. Exhibit C: Space Command. https://t.co/HpbWBmHzYY
— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) August 1, 2023
We saw what happened in Afghanistan when Pres. Biden didn’t listen… I can only imagine the repercussions to our national security if SPACECOM stays in Colorado.
— Dale W. Strong (@RepDaleStrong) August 1, 2023
Mainstream media reports, including from The Hill, have often sought to undermine Tuberville's efforts and to portray the Republican Party as being in disarray over the matter. Tuberville's office has remained prepared throughout these many months, fact-checking many of the false narratives from pro-abortion Democrats like Sen. Bennet.
Among the facts of the situation include how the holds are not unprecedented, since Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), another pro-abortion critic of Tuberville's move, issued a blanket hold in 2020. The Pentagon's abortion policy, however, is unprecedented. Tuberville's holds also do not prevent anyone from being confirmed. This is especially true considering that the Senate is under Democrat-control, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) can call for a full floor vote on such confirmations.
Another popular narrative, especially from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), has been that the holds would create a major financial hardship for basic necessities. Not only are the current officials kept in their posts until their replacement is confirmed, but they receive back pay from when their promotion was announced.
When it comes to upholding the right to life and the rule of law, Americans agree that taxpayer funds should not be used on abortions. The Hyde Amendment also protects taxpayers from having to fund legal abortions.
The senator has the support from numerous colleagues in both the House and the Senate, with many members revealing that support directly to Townhall. Previous comments from a Senate staffer also confirmed an overall feeling of support. Further, over 5,000 veterans have signaled their support in a letter to Leader Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
The senator's Twitter feed, which is often up-to-date with signs of support, has also recently retweeted news coverage from 1819News.com regarding a resolution passed last Saturday by the Alabama GOP praising Tuberville and condemning the Biden administration.
Support continues to grow for @SenTuberville's stand!
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) August 7, 2023
"[T]he Alabama Republican Party calls on the Biden administration to reverse the policy of using taxpayer money to fund abortion related expenses against the will of the people, and thanks Senator Tommy Tuberville for his… pic.twitter.com/9zT0JPvW8k
Perhaps the surest sign that the Biden administration looks to remain stubborn in their ways is that The Hill late last week obtained a memo from Sec. Austin about the need for new strategies, including reorganization, so as to "mitigate the harms." Nowhere in reporting from The Hill does it appear that the administration has shown a willingness to rescind the policy to meet with Tuberville's requests to abide by the law.
As Townhall learned last month, there is no gestational limit to when service members or their dependents can have an abortion under the policy, meaning taxpayers could be funding paid time off or even travel for abortions occurring in the third trimester.
Tuberville seems to be keeping the faith, though, as demonstrated in a Monday night appearance on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle," who reaffirmed that he is standing his ground.
The battle over SPACECOM is also far from over. Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers (R-AL), has launched an investigation into the motives behind the decision. He is demanding that Secretary Frank Kendall of the United States Armed Forces and General Dickinson sit for transcribed interviews no later than Aug. 9.
I am demanding that Secretary Kendall and General Dickinson sit for transcribed interviews and produce documents related to the Space Command basing decision as part of a continuing investigation. I have had enough of their evasion of Congressional oversight and political games. https://t.co/dwgiO7UwLJ
— Mike Rogers (@RepMikeRogersAL) August 4, 2023
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