Senate confirms top Pacific Army commander following Tuberville hold

The Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark by voice vote to be the Army's top commander in the Pacific Tuesday, following a hold by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), according to the Congressional Record.

Clark’s nomination was received by the Senate and referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 11. However, the nomination was held up by Tuberville due to questions about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization in January that was related to a urinary tract infection following surgery to treat prostate cancer.

The Alabama senator told the Washington Post earlier this month that his concerns stem from the fact that while serving as an aide to Austin, Clark did not immediately alert the White House about the secretary’s condition.

The Defense Department’s inspector general is in the process of reviewing the procedures surrounding Austin’s hospitalization.

The Pentagon urged a swift confirmation of Clark on Sept. 10, with DOD spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder saying “he’s exactly the kind of leader we need.”

Tuberville dropped his hold Tuesday after he and Clark met earlier that day and had a detailed discussion, according to Mallory Jaspers, a spokeswoman for the senator’s office.

“While there were certainly failures elsewhere, the senator is confident that LTG Clark more than fulfilled his duties during the secretary’s hospitalization. Sen. Tuberville is thankful for LTG Clark’s many decades of service to our nation and wishes he and his family the best in his new assignment,” Jaspers wrote in a statement to Inside Defense Wednesday.

Tuberville gained notoriety last year when he held up more than 400 military nominations due to his opposition to the Pentagon’s travel and leave policy for servicemembers seeking abortion services.