GOP senator says Democrats, Tuberville need to meet halfway for military promotions to resume

Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska defended on Sunday fellow Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is blocking hundreds of military promotions over the Pentagon paying for out-of-state travel for abortions.

Mr. Sullivan said the way to resolve the Alabama senator’s hold on promotions is “through compromise,” which the Defense Department has been so far unwilling to do.

“Every single one of these kind of holds, 99% of them get resolved through compromise,” Mr. Sullivan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “What needs to happen, the secretary of defense, Senator Tuberville, Chuck Schumer need to sit down and have that pass.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer last week placed the onus on top Senate Republicans to get involved and persuade Mr. Tuberville to end his blockade.

“It’s up to them,” the New York Democrat said. “They have to put the pressure on [Mr. Tuberville] to back off.”

Mr. Sullivan suggested a potential breakthrough could come in the next few weeks as Congress works to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, commonly known as the NDAA.

“I think there are going to be opportunities to get to that compromise, like we have on all these kind of holds that happen regularly in the Senate,” Mr. Sullivan said.