Austin is on the verge of making history. The Senate is expected to confirm retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin as America’s first-ever Black defense secretary. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is speaking presently ahead of a full vote in the Senate a little bit later. One important line from McConnell’s mouth today: I will vote to confirm Austin.
Both the House and Senate on Thursday approved the waiver Austin needed to hold the SecDef job since it’s been less than seven years since Austin last wore his Army uniform. “Both votes were overwhelming and bipartisan,” NPR reported shortly afterward.
Gianforte Slams D.C. Officials – Orders Guard Troops Home
Opening his press conference in Helena on Friday, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte had scathing words for officials in Washington. D.C. who sent National Guard troops out of federal buildings and into unheated parking garages, leading him to order Montana’s troops home immediately.
“Thousands of National Guardsmen were forced to leave the Capitol building and were sent outside into parking garages to rest,” said Gianforte. “Some had no heat or access to facilities. This is no way to treat the men and women in uniform. What happened to them was a national disgrace. Thousands of guardsmen answered the call of duty to protect our Republic, and they will have been pulling security duty for two weeks to support a peaceful transfer of power, and this is how they were treated. It s outrageous. That s why very early this morning I instructed General Hronek to bring them home.”
Thousands of National Guardsmen were forced to vacate congressional grounds and are now taking their rest breaks outside and in nearby parking garages. This was after two weeks of sleepless nights protecting the nation’s capital.
One unit, which had been resting in the Dirksen Senate Office building, was abruptly told to vacate the facility on Thursday, according to one Guardsman.
The group was forced to rest in a nearby parking garage without internet reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom with two stalls for 5,000 troops, the person said, Politico reported. And there’s no heat.
Yesterday dozens of senators and congressmen walked down our lines taking photos, shaking our hands and thanking us for our service. Within 24 hours, they had no further use for us and banished us to the corner of a parking garage …
The National Guard are in our hearts. Jill Biden goes to Capitol Hill to thank troops deployed to protect her husband s inauguration after MAGA riot in wake of some being forced to sleep in fume-filled Senate garage
Jill Biden, in her first solo outing as first lady, stopped on Capitol Hill to thank National Guard members for their service
She noted the Biden s were a National Guard family, invoking the memory of the late Beau Biden, who served in the Delaware National Guard The National Guard will always hold a special place in the hearts of all the Bidens, she said