On the recordDecember 6, 2023
I come to the floor today to talk about the military's new illegal abortion policy. Last November, I got word from the Pentagon that it was planning on replacing a 40-year law that was passed in this building, about abortion in our military, that has worked perfectly for 40 years--no complaints. But our President, in his wisdom, decided to change that abortion policy with a memo. So, because of that, I warned the Pentagon: Don't do this. Send this new policy through the Senate, and let's vote on it. Let's represent our colleagues. Let's represent the people back home who sent us up here. They elect us to do that, to make decisions for them, to represent them. I said in writing that, if they imposed this new policy, I would put a hold on senior nominations in the military. That is the only power that we have in the minority to get the attention of the majority here in the Senate. I hated to do it. These people needed promotions, but somebody needs to wake up in the White House and the Pentagon that they cannot dictate policy here in the U.S. Senate. Send it over. Let's vote on it. So I put a hold, 11 months ago, on admirals and generals and civil nominees. A few months went by--a few months being 11--and we have had that hold ever since they put this policy in place. But somebody had to stand up to what was going on. So I did it. I stood up, knowing that I am 100 percent military. My dad was in the military. I was a military brat. I believe in our military.…
