4-stars’ Senate hearing put on ice - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

4-stars’ Senate hearing put on ice

Three top military commanders became hostages Wednesday in the continuing battle over national health care reform.

The four-star commanders of the U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Strategic Command and U.S. Forces Korea had come to Washington, D.C., to take their turn testifying before Congress on their operations, the challenges they face in their regions and the 2011 defense budget.

But their afternoon appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee was canceled, one of a number of scheduled hearings that became collateral damage in the ongoing acrimony of the health care reform debate.

As the Senate was working on the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act, a measure that makes some changes in the national health care reform law signed Tuesday by President Obama, Republicans objected to Senate committees holding hearings while the Senate was in session.

They granted two exceptions, allowing a confirmation hearing to be held for a new chief of the Transportation Security Agency and for a hearing about military health care. Both hearings were underway when the objection was made.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the armed services committee chairman, tried to get an exemption for the commanders’ to also testify, noting that two of the men — Adm. Robert Willard of PacCom and Gen. Walter Sharp of U.S. Forces Korea — had traveled a very long way to appear.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona, ranking Republican on the committee, joined in the request to let the commanders testify, although he is a fierce opponent of health care reform.

The request was rejected when Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., objected. Burr made clear he was acting on behalf of another, unidentified Republican senator, and that it was not his idea.

Levin’s spokeswoman, Tara Andringa, said the combatant commanders’ hearing may be rescheduled before the end of the week.

Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Republicans were “using tricks” to gum up the legislative process.

“So let me get this straight: In retaliation for our efforts to have an up-or-down vote to improve health care reform, Republicans are blocking an armed services committee hearing to discuss critical national security issues?” Manley said. “These political games and obstruction have to stop. The American people expect and deserve better.”