Senate Confirms Gen. Brown as Top Military Officer, House to Vote Again on Defense Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown

The Senate has confirmed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the nation’s top military officer, four months after President Joe Biden nominated him. This confirmation comes as tensions continue to swirl over Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s monthslong blockade on hundreds of military promotions in opposition to a Defense Department policy that provides time off and reimbursements for service members and family members who need to travel out of state for abortions.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Wednesday night that the House will vote again on whether to consider the bill to fund the Pentagon. This comes as House Republicans showed signs of breaking an intra-party logjam that threatens a government shutdown in 10 days. McCarthy said the House would vote Thursday on a rule to govern debate on the $826.2 billion defense bill. A similar vote Tuesday failed as five Republicans voted with all the House Democrats to sink the rule and prevent the bill from coming to the floor.

The Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Gen. Brown, making him the first Pentagon confirmation since Sen. Tuberville put a hold on nominees to protest the Defense Department abortion policy. The confirmation of Gen. Brown marks an important step in the process of confirming Biden’s nominees and ensuring the Pentagon is adequately funded.

McCarthy said the House plans to move forward with the Department of Defense bill and then a number of other appropriation bills. The confirmation of Gen. Brown and the potential passage of the defense bill are both necessary steps in avoiding a government shutdown in 10 days. It remains to be seen whether the House will be able to pass the defense bill and avert a government shutdown.