U.S. Senate Approves Army Chief Appointment

The U.S. Senate confirmed General Randy George as Army Chief of Staff and General Eric Smith as Commandant of the Marine Corps on Thursday, as lawmakers moved to approve the appointments of some senior officers that had been stalled by a Republican senator. The Senate approved General Charles Brown for the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday with a majority vote of 96 in favor and one against. Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer used a procedural maneuver to avoid a blockade set by Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville. Tuberville began obstructing high-level Pentagon appointments in March in protest against a Defense Department policy enacted last year that provides paid leave and expense reimbursement for servicewomen traveling for abortions. Schumer's action does not address the hundreds of other military promotions still stalled due to Tuberville's actions.