One of Tommy Tuberville’s senatorial colleagues says the U.S. response to the Israeli conflict with Hamas illustrates the harm done by the Alabama senator’s hold on military promotions.

Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, former astronaut and U.S. Navy captain, made the comments Thursday on the social media platform X.

“He’s damaging our national security,” Kelly stated. “It’s unconscionable. And it’s time for the Senate to fix this before it gets any worse.”

Tuberville’s ongoing hold of military promotions in the Senate, which began in February, is in response to the Pentagon’s abortion policy. Democrats over the weekend said it is time to break the logjam of about 300 promotions bottled up in the Senate in protest of a Pentagon policy offering time off and travel reimbursements for service members who go out of state for abortions.

Tuberville contends that Democrats could call each of the hundreds of nominations for individual votes, which Democrats say would take hundreds of hours of floor time.

According to Kelly’s thread of comments, these positions have unconfirmed leaders because of the hold:

Defense Attache to Israel

Commander of the Fifth Fleet

USCENTCOM Deputy Commander

USCENTCOM Deputy Director, Strategy, Plans, and Policy

Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force

Commander of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing

Commanding General of the 1st Sustainment Command

Reserve Vice Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces, CENTCOM

Deputy Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces, CENTCOM

Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central

Assistant Division Commander of the 1st Marine Division

Defense Attache to Iraq

“As we reposition our own forces and support our ally Israel with intelligence, logistics, and other assistance, we need U.S. leadership to be as strong and focused as possible. We need high rank officials stepping in to set direction and manage crisis response,” Kelly said.

“Instead, crucial command positions are being held by temporary commanders, more junior officers, and officers stuck doing two jobs at once. This hamstrings our regional military leadership during a crisis. Period.”

Tuberville spokesperson Steve Stafford said in a statement to NBC News over the weekend that the situation could be ended if the Pentagon ended “their illegal and immoral policy.”