Tommy Tuberville’s Republican colleagues decry his military holds on the Senate floor

Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska was joined by his GOP colleagues Joni Ernst of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Todd Young of Indiana and Mitt Romney of Utah in the chamber Wednesday night in an attempt to pass 115 top military nominees delayed by fellow Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions over Pentagon abortion policy.

Over the course of several hours, these Republican senators read out nominees’ resumes and argued that Tuberville’s hold harms military readiness, punishes the officers who are not responsible for the Pentagon’s policy and sets a dangerous precedent in the US Senate.

The Alabama Republican objected to each nominee offered individually, defending his hold.

Sullivan argued that Tuberville’s holds are “hugely disruptive to readiness,” during a dangerous moment in global relations.

“As a member of the Armed Services committee, as a US Marine Corps colonel, I know, we all know here in the Senate, America needs to have our best players, our most combat-capable leaders on the field. And right now, that’s not happening. It needs to change,” Sullivan said.

Tuberville has been holding up military promotions since February because of a Department of Defense policy that reimburses travel costs for military members requiring reproductive care outside of the state in which they are stationed. The department enacted the policy after the reversal of Roe v. Wade last year overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and left the issue to individual states.

Sullivan described himself Wednesday as “as pro-life as they come,” adding “I strongly disagree” with Pentagon policy, and has been pushing for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring the nominees up individually.

“But I also firmly believe that one of our most core, basic principles, certainly as…