"Gen. Brown warns of talent drain as GOP blocks military promotions"

General Charles Q. Brown Jr., President Biden's nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned lawmakers that the GOP blockade on military promotions could lead to talent loss, affect readiness, and prompt some officers to leave the armed forces. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama has blocked hundreds of promotions in protest of the military's abortion policies, causing financial and logistical burdens for troops' families. As a result, as many as 650 leadership positions may be vacant by year's end, and the Marine Corps is without a confirmed chief for the first time in over 100 years. Democratic senators criticized Tuberville's blockade, while some Republican senators focused on the military's diversity efforts.