The Senate Armed Services Committee is holding up one of President Trump’s Pentagon nominees after he criticized U.S. gun laws as “insane” and advocated “therapeutic abortions” during a hearing Tuesday.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the committee chairman, said he was concerned about both comments by Dean Winslow, a Stanford University professor who Trump picked to oversee the military healthcare system, and that Armed Services members were awaiting answers from him on additional questions before deciding whether to advance his nomination to the Senate floor.
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted Thursday morning to report three other Pentagon nominees who testified along with Winslow on Tuesday.
“I happen to be pro-life and I happen to believe what he said was not pro-life,” McCain said. “We’ve asked additional questions and we will give him every chance to make his case.”
During his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, Winslow offered up his critique of laws that allow citizens to purchase long guns like the one used in the Texas church shooting. He also ran afoul of McCain over an abortion comment.
“I’d also like to, and I may get in trouble with other members of the committee, just say how insane it is that in the United States of America a civilian can go out and buy a semi-automatic assault rifle like an AR-15, which apparently was the weapon that was used,” Winslow said on Tuesday. The Texas shooter, Devin Patrick Kelley, reportedly used a Ruger AR-556, which is similar in style to an AR-15, in the mass murder of 26 churchgoers.
“I don’t think that’s your area of responsibility or expertise,” McCain said, suddenly interrupting the exchange.
McCain, the Armed Services chairman, also warned Winslow that his submitted statement about abortions could hold up his nomination in the Senate and told him to “clean it up.” McCain has taken issue with past nominees’ written statements and required revisions before allowing them to proceed.
“I also believe that therapeutic abortion services should be provided by the military in appropriately staffed facilities,” Winslow wrote in the submitted questionnaire.
The military is barred by federal law from providing abortion services in most cases. Winslow told the committee he was referring only to instances in which the mother’s life is in danger.
The Armed Services Committee voted by voice Thursday to report to the Senate floor the nominations of Robert Behler to be director of operational test and evaluation; Thomas Modly to be undersecretary of the Navy; and James Geurts to be assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition.
