WASHINGTON (WAVY) – Virginia and Hampton Roads lawmakers on Capitol Hill are speaking out about the tactic by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) to block promotions for about 250 high-ranking military leaders because of his opposition to a DoD policy to reimburse travel expenses for military members who travel out of their area for abortions.
The policy does not reimburse for the cost of the abortion itself. It was adopted by the Pentagon last fall in the wake of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02), a veteran Navy helicopter pilot and member of the House Armed Services Committee, said she disagrees with Tuberville’s tactic.
“It’s not how I would handle the issue,” she said in a Thursday afternoon interview with 10 On Your Side. “I hear from constituents in my district, spouses, families that are frustrated with it being held up, and I’m frustrated with it being held up.”
But Kiggans agrees with Tuberville’s opposition to the policy.
“Taxpayers should not be funding elective procedures,” Kiggans said. “If I wanted to get a Hollywood nose job in California, I do not expect the Navy to pay for my travel expenses to get there.”
Other Virginia lawmakers say Tuberville’s move will affect military families now and recruiting in the longer term.
“It’s a totally dysfunctional way to run a military and he just ought to be ashamed of himself,” said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA-03), warning it affects pay raises and family finances, and puts promoted officers behind in assuming their new commands.
“We’re trying to discuss if there’s any way to give retroactive pay to those caught up in this nonsense,” Scott said.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said blocking promotions could have a chilling effect on military recruiting and retention.
“(People will ask) do I want to run the risk that a member of the Senate, being unhappy with a policy I had nothing to do with, may choose to block my career?” Kaine said earlier this week at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Scott said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has the power to override Tuberville and enable the promotions to move forward.