President Joe Biden on Friday announced he will nominate Admiral Lisa Franchetti to lead the U.S. Navy, which would make her the first woman to hold the position and to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
But it is unclear if the Senate will confirm her by the time her predecessor leaves office, as a Republican lawmaker is stalling more than 200 senior military nominations to protest the Pentagon's decision to assist troops who have to travel to receive abortions.
"Franchetti will bring 38 years of dedicated service to our nation as a commissioned officer, including in her current role of Vice Chief of Naval Operations," Biden said in a statement.