Tommy Tuberville and the future of the single senator veto

Since February, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has blocked votes on every personnel recommendation of the U.S. military requiring Senate confirmation. By the end of the year, the impact will be felt by about 90 percent of the nation’s most senior military commanders.

According to a legion of critics across the political spectrum, Tuberville’s action poses a threat to national security, reduces military readiness and undermines morale. In a joint letter, seven former secretaries of defense declared, “We can think of few things as irresponsible and uncaring.” Along with several other Republican senators, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell opposes his “blanket hold.”