MISSOULA, Mont. — Sen. Jon Tester is one of several Democratic senators who isn’t an automatic yes on giving President-elect Joe Biden’s defense secretary nominee a congressional waiver.
Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin is up for the position, but the National Security Act requires civilian control at the Pentagon, meaning someone has to have been retired from active duty for seven years. Austin retired in 2016.
A spokesperson says Tester isn’t ruling anything out.