SecDef says Senate confirmation fight hurts national security

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SecDef says Senate confirmation fight hurts national security
By Leo Shane III
May 10, 11:20 AM
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (center) speaks with Senate Armed Services Committee member Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. (left), before a hearing in Washington, D.C. on April 7, 2022. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The ongoing Senate fight over military promotions and confirmations “harms America’s national security and hinders the Pentagon’s normal operations,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned in a letter to lawmakers released Wednesday.

The warning from the military’s top civilian leader, comes as the number of individuals caught up in the stalemate has swelled to more than 200. Without a political compromise, clearing the backlog of nominations could take months of parliamentary work, snarling all other business in the Senate.

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