. >> even republicans think t tubberville is going about this wrong.o the mat here over a policy that turns out service members and their families can't even really use? "politico" is reporting that a dozen service members have actually used this policy. >> it doesn't matter how many people have used it. what matters is we don't have a caste system in our military that you don't get the health care that you need if you're a woman. what message does that send to every person who might consider joining the military during a recruitment crisis. the idea that it's separate but equal in our military, that you don't get access to health care if you're a woman because you're stationed in a state that does not allow certain type of health care like abortions is fundamentall fundamental fundamentally antithetical to our country. the d.o.d. is not paying for abortions. it's simply allowing military members to take leave to go get health care that they need if it's not offered in the state where they happen to get stationed. >> it is -- i will be clear. it is pay

and it's not just senator tubberville. the entirety of the republican establishment that refuses to challenge him. this needs to end. it is affecting the u.s. national security, it's affecting soldiers' lives, it's affecting soldiers' families and children and it needs to stop. >> i will say, we did hear a bit of a challenge on nikki haley from it, but i hear you when you're talking about republican elected officials -- >> that is not appropriate, yeah, that is not appropriate. she's saying that the department of defense was the root cause. that is not true. the department of defense was taking care of soldiers. women that have reproductive health care needs have the ability -- under this current policy, have the ability to have their travel expenses paid. it doesn't have anything to do with the medical care itself, it's the department of defense taking care of families and it is not the responsibility of the department of defense. it's the politicization by senator tubberville, by other fellow republicans, of a military p

tubberville had hoped this afternoon to go to the floor, deploy this rarely used tactic to try to put a procedural vote on the calendar of the senate and force democrats to choose whether or not they were going to be the ones to hold up military nominations. chuck schumer went to the floor just a couple hours before that action was expected and made a move himself to advance the nominations of three top military brass. he went to the floor to move forward with three people, the chief of staff for the army, the marine commandant, as well as the chairman of the joint chiefs. he also said he wants to have votes on them this afternoon. a procedural vote. he said if that isn't agreed to, he will be willing to keep the senate in over the weekend to do some of that work. but obviously this was an unexpected procedural action from senator chuck schumer, the majority leader. but he argued he had no choice. here he was on the senate floor. >> besides the most extreme elements of the republican party, no one thinks this is a good idea. and in the face of that opposition, it seems that senator tu

of course tubberville could end this blockade literally at any time.here's nothing disrespectful about a confirmation vote. if we do not vote on general brown's nomination, then that is entirely, entirely the fault of the democratic majority that runs this floor. >> yeah, except here is the thing, it's not. and there's nothing general mill ey can do about it. he cannot stay in his position past october 1st even if there's nobody approved to replace him. something tubberville, who let's just say is not a leading intellectualite of his party didn't know. >> have you had any conversations with dod or white house or anything? >> no. >> do you expect to speak to them before milley's retirement date? >> when is that? >> october 1st. i'll call milley and wish him good luck. i don't know if he'll go anywhere before they get. >> he has to leave. >> he's out. we'll get somebody else to do the job. but hopefully it's done by then. >> no, you can't. joining me now is paul rykoff founder of iraq and afghanistan veterans of america and host of the independent americ

that's been the question for more than six months as alabama senator tommy tubberville has been blockingmation of more than 300 senior military officers all because he disagrees with pentagon policy allowing service members and their families access to reproductive health treatments including abortions no matter where they are stationed. this week the secretaries of the navy, army, and air force wrote an op-ed in "the washington post" saying tubberville's actions or inactions are putting our national security at risk, a quote from all three secretaries. joining us with more is the air force secretary frank kendall. mr. secretary, thank you very much for being here on a saturday. we appreciate it. what are the most troubling effects of this? if this continues on, the stalemate keeps going? >> basically it puts us in a situation where a great many of our organizations are being led by temporary leadership. people are holding down, you know, the position until the person who's intended to come in with come in. basically the organizations will defend the country, there's not a grave risk the

reporter: majority leader chuck schumer venting a few frustrations with blockades, saying that tommy tubbervilleblocking the military aid. and for all intents and purposes house republicans are barreling towards a government shutdown if something is not done to avert the funding crisis. the fact all this is swirling in the same pot with impeachment and inquiries, it makes it that much more difficult. >> you rock, my friend. thank you. that was a valiant effort. >>> let's look at the landmark case, putting the tech giant against google. i any you will be hard-pressed to find a person who doesn't use google in some form through the day. what is this trial about? >> well, chris, what the trial is asking is whether what you are describing is a natural outgrowth of google's excellence of creating a search engine or if it strikes so many deals with browsermakers to be the default search engine when you first buy a phone or install a prowser like mozilla. google arguing we're doing our best to get our product out there. and the government saying this is taking away choice from americans and as a result

>> top military leaders are urging tommy tubberville to hend his block on military for the sake of national security. >>> cuba says it has uncovered a human trafficking network that is sending cubans to fight for russia in ukraine. and senate minority mitch mcconnell is returning to the heel after freezing in front of the cameras twice this summer. next what his office is saying about his health. you are watching "cnn central." and we'll be right back. you ne. you could save $700 dollars just by switching. ooooh, let me put a reminder on my phone. on the top of the pile! oh. only pay for what you neneed. ♪ liberty. liberty. liliberty. liberty. ♪ (vo) in one second, sara (woman) yes (vo) will get a job offer somewhere sunnier. relocating in weeks. (woman) weeks? (vo) yeah, weeks. (woman) gotta sell the house. (vo) don't worry, sell to opendoor, and move on your schedule. (woman) yes! (vo) request a cash offer at opendoor dot com. what makes a medicare supplement insurance plan, like an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan from unitedhealthcare a good choice for people on medicare? it's sm

but i think it becomes to republican senators to put the pressure on tubberville to release his hold.rats have done it in the past as well. but this has gone on too long. but look on the other hand, i think i've said publicly, chuck schumer should start moving nominations through the system, particularly the joints chiefs of staff. there's three of them right now coming up on four. he should start moving those and start moving these nominees through. take one a week. get it done. it doesn't undermine the rightfulness of the broader position but start moving them. don't leave our military at risk like this and stop using the generals, the admirals as pawns in this political game. it's not good for dod. it's not good for our uniform leadership. >> secretary es per, you signed that letter back in may asking for this. it's been months and months now. we appreciate your time this morning. thank you. >> thank you. >>> ahead this morning, donald trump is already indicted, but special counsel jack smith is still digging. we have exclusive reporting about what he's looking into now. >>> we jus

evidence based on your reporting that that will soften the hard that topper: has drawn here -- tubbervillerawn? >> there isn't. there has been a lot of pressure coming from leaders of the military, including defense secretary austin, including joint chief of staff general milley, who i spoke to recently, and said there there is a real readiness problem with these holds. but -- tuberville insists he's holding a line. he has the support of alabama republicans and his constituents and so there is no sign yet that these holds, there is going to be a breakthrough on these military holds. >> good to see you as always, friend. thanks for being with us. >> thanks. >> i'm stephanie sy with "newshour" west. a panel of three federal judges struck down alabama's congressional map for a second time, deciding to appoint a special master to redraw voting districts. republican lawmakers have refused to create a second majority black district to comply with the voting rights act, despite a supreme court mandate. hours after the ruling, alabama appealed the case to the high court. prosecutors in atlanta cha

. >> speaking of having a strong defense and having a strong navy, republican senator tommy tubberville is currently and for months has been holding up more than 300 military promotions in the senate, non-political positions, including the chief of staff of the army, the commandant of the marine corps, the chief of naval operations, the chairman of the joint chiefs role is set to be vacant at the end of this month. i know you have criticized his decision. the military says this is hurting readiness. i know as a military spouse, you know, military spouses are really upset about this. why is the republican party tolerating this? >> okay, there's a couple of things here, jake. let's speak hard truths. first of all, department of defense never should have done this. i'll disagree with it and i'll put an end to it as congress. >> you're talking about the reimbursement policy for travel, for abortion. >> yes. because you have to do these things through congress. we have three branches of government for a reason. you can't slip something in there like that and think that congress is not going

but it is completely wrong, as is senator tubberville's effort to gut the military a ability to do its job because he disagrees with the point. we had a vote on it. president biden got elected. he made his decision. change the policy, don't trash the military. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. smith: thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from pennsylvania reserves. the gentleman from alabama is now recognized. mr. rogers: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i'd like to yield 2 1/2 minutes to a long-time champion of the unborn in america, mr. smith of new england. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. smith: i thank my good friend for yielding. mr. speaker, i rise in opposition to the motion to instruct. let's be absolutely clear. current federal d.o.d. law already permits taxpayer funding of abortion in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. but the biden d.o.d. abortion travel policy forces taxpayers to pay the transportation costs for military members and dependents to travel to procure an abortion for