Senate is set to confirm 3 military nominees but GOP senator still blocking hundreds of others
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is poised to confirm a new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as Democrats try to maneuver around holds placed on nominations by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville over Pentagon abortion policy. As Tuberville has blocked routine confirmations, Democrats have said for weeks that they would not bring up individual nominations for a vote. But Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reversed course on Wednesday and called up three of the most senior nominees: Gen. CQ Brown to replace Gen. Mark Milley as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Randy George to be Army Chief of Staff and Gen. Eric Smith, nominated to be commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.