Alabama's Sen. Tuberville blocks promotion for general over Defense secretary's hospitalization

Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Alabama's Sen. Tommy Tuberville has blocked a senate nomination to promote Lt. Gen. Ronald Clark to four-star commander of the U.S. Army Pacific force over concerns the Republican senator has surround Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin 's hospitalization this year, according to multiple news reports.

Tuberville supposedly "has concerns about Lt. Gen. Clark's actions during Secretary Austin's hospitalization," a Tuberville spokesperson told CNN .

In January, Austin, now 71, was hospitalized for complications from prostate cancer surgery he had in December. But the public did not find out for days until Jan. 5 after Austin had been in recovery, according to reports.

Clark, 58, was Austin's senior military assistant when the defense secretary underwent surgery.

"Lt. Gen. Clark knew that Sec. Austin was incapacitated and did not tell the Commander in Chief. As a senior commissioned officer, Lt. Gen. Clark's oath requires him to notify POTUS when the chain of command is compromised," Tuberville spokeswoman Mallory Jaspers said about a top aide to Austin.

But this is reportedly different than when Tuberville in December ended his blockade of military personnel nominations that left scores of nominees in limbo for months.

A pending report by the Pentagon's inspector general about DOD policies to ensure a smooth transfer of power at the department, however, may affect Tuberville's new senate block, his spokesperson says.

Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, had held up promotions of more than 400 military personnel last year over the Pentagon's policy to reimburse service members for traveling out of state to receive the controversial medical practice.

But according to Jaspers, the Alabama conservative is "waiting to see the forthcoming IG report."

Tuberville's last boycott drew bipartisan pressure from within his own party and by Democrats on the Hill who many had accused Tuberville of "harming military readiness" and national security the longer it went on.

Clark previously had been commander of U.S. Army Central, the Army's 25th Infantry Division and chief of staff for U.S. Army Pacific. The department has hinted yet again that Tuberville's block of military appointments puts U.S. national security at risk.

"These holds undermine our military readiness," the Pentagon states, urging the senate to confirm "all of our qualified nominees."

Clark is "highly qualified" for the job he was picked for and "was nominated for this critical position because of his experience and strategic expertise," Pentagon spokesman James Adams also told CNN.