WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Monday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to oppose Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-Ala.) efforts to block hundreds of military nominations and promotions.

“We are at an unprecedented moment in the history of the Senate. There are hundreds of brave, courageous leaders in our military who are being denied promotions, being denied the rank that they deserve because of the actions of Senator Tuberville and Senate Republicans,” said Murphy.

Murphy slammed Tuberville’s suggestion that our military leadership should be fired for failing to defeat the Taliban: “For those of us who have served in the Senate and in the House during the time that ended in Afghanistan, we had the opportunity to see that mission on the ground. It was a difficult, hard mission. Some might say it was an impossible mission, badly under-resourced right from the beginning. But the idea that our soldiers or our military leadership, captains, lieutenants, colonels, generals should be fired because they couldn't perform a mission that was likely impossible – that frankly will have an even bigger, chilling effect than Senator Tuberville's hold on military promotions. There's no doubt that there should be consequences for gross negligence on the job in any profession, including the military. But for any of us who saw the work being done in Afghanistan, our military from the top down, they were doing the best they could under difficult circumstances.”

Murphy continued: “Refusing military promotions apparently isn't cruel enough. Now Republicans want military leaders fired when they can't complete impossible, under-resourced missions. This is a growing attack, a growing set of attacks on our military and all in the service of a bunch of old men telling young women what health care they can get and what health care they can't get.”

A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

“Mr. President as you know, we are at an unprecedented moment in the history of the Senate. There are hundreds of brave, courageous leaders in our military who are being denied promotions, being denied the rank that they deserve because of the actions of Senator Tuberville and Senate Republicans. And Senator Tuberville was down on the floor just moments ago defending his actions. I think most Americans believe that his hold on all of these promotions is indefensible, but what probably won't get covered is an additional idea that he presented to the Senate in his remarks.

“Senator Tuberville said today that he thinks that our military leadership should be fired for failing to defeat the Taliban. That's pretty extraordinary. For those of us who have served in the Senate and in the House during the time that ended in Afghanistan, we had the opportunity to see that mission on the ground. It was a difficult, hard mission. Some might say it was an impossible mission, badly under-resourced right from the beginning.

“But the idea that our soldiers or our military leadership, captains, lieutenants, colonels, generals should be fired because they couldn't perform a mission that was likely impossible – that frankly will have an even bigger, chilling effect than Senator Tuberville's hold on military promotions. There's no doubt that there should be consequences for gross negligence on the job in any profession, including the military. But for any of us who saw the work being done in Afghanistan, our military from the top down, they were doing the best they could under difficult circumstances.

“Refusing military promotions apparently isn't cruel enough. Now Republicans want military leaders fired when they can't complete impossible, under-resourced missions. This is a growing attack, a growing set of attacks on our military and all in the service of a bunch of old men telling young women what health care they can get and what health care they can't get.”

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