By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved three high-level military promotions on Thursday, sidestepping one Republican senator's months-long blockade of hundreds of promotions.
The Senate approved Admiral Lisa Franchetti as Chief of Naval Operations and General David Allvin to be Chief of Staff of the Air Force by a 95-1 vote. Lieutenant General Christopher Mahoney was confirmed by 86-0 as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Franchetti becomes the first woman to command the Navy and be a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
All three were nominated for promotion months ago, but they were delayed by a "hold" from Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville over government funding to cover travel costs for abortions for service members and their dependents.
Tuberville allowed Mahoney's nomination to go ahead after General Eric Smith, the Marine Corps commandant, had an apparent heart attack. He allowed the other two promotions to proceed after Republican senators circulated a petition that would have forced a vote.
Tuberville's actions have affected nearly 400 officers and their families, as well as lower-level officers in the military. Pentagon leaders said the holds threatened national security.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
