Sen. Tommy Tuberville dramatically scaled back his blanket hold on hundreds of military appointments Tuesday after failing to force changes to a Pentagon policy paying for service members to cross state lines to undergo an abortion.

Following threats from his GOP colleagues that they would quash his blockade, Tuberville (R-Ala.) announced he would lift his hold on almost all nominees except four-star generals and other officers, 11 of whom remain in limbo.

“We didn’t get the win that we wanted,” he told reporters. “We’ve still got the bad policy. We tried to stand up for the taxpayers.”

“I am not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer,” the former college football coach added.

Hours later, the Senate approved 425 nominations that had been stalled since February.

Tuberville had stalled the promotions in a bid to reverse the Pentagon policy, which reimburses military members who travel to receive any kind of reproductive care, such as in-vitro fertilization.

Traditionally, the Senate rapidly advances military nominees unanimously instead of formally voting on them one by one. 

However, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, Tuberville could hold up the appointments if he chose.

Tuberville’s allies pointed out that the Senate could vote on each nomination through regular order, as is done with presidential picks for the federal bench and other executive branch departments.

However, opponents of the senator’s actions pointed out the tedious and time-consuming nature of the process. 

In late September, the White House estimated that it would take 700 hours — nearly a month of straight work — to confirm the 300-plus outstanding nominees at the time via regular order.

At times throughout the roughly 10-month blockade, the Senate took up key picks individually, approving nominees to become chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

In a statement Tuesday evening, President Biden ripped Tuberville, saying the confirmations were “long overdue, and should never have been held up in the first place.”

“In the end, this was all pointless,” Biden said. “Senator Tuberville, and the Republicans who stood with him, needlessly hurt hundreds of servicemembers and military families and threatened our national security – all to push a partisan agenda. I hope no one forgets what he did.”

Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told reporters the Defense Department was “encouraged” by Tuberville’s decision, but noted nominees whose confirmation is still pending included “key senior leadership positions to include the vice chiefs of the various services, the commander of US Pacific Fleet, the commander of Pacific Air Forces, commander of Air Combat Command, as well as the commander of United States Northern Command Cyber Command and Space Command.”

“We have a very important mission in terms of defending this nation and anytime you add a level of uncertainty into the chain of command, it creates an unnecessary friction,” Ryder said. “It has an impact on readiness … when it’s unclear whether or not your senior leaders are going to be in place at the time and place they’re needed, that, of course, creates unnecessary friction and does have an impact on readiness.”

Tuberville’s concession came after Republican senators threatened to get onboard with a rules change pitched by Democrats.

Under the proposal, which would have required 60 votes to enact, the Senate would have been able to vote on most military nominees as a bloc even without unanimous support.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) gave Tuberville until the end of the year to give way or else the resolution would be taken up. 

Republicans had been reluctant to go down that road, but enough of them indicated their patience had worn thin. 

Early last month, several GOP senators — such as Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Joni Ernst of Iowa — condemned the blockade in a fiery late night exchange on the Senate floor.

Tuberville hinted last week on CNN that the days of his hold were numbered.

“We need to get them promoted,” Tuberville said. “I don’t know what they’re gonna do with the resolution, but we’re going through all of the people that are up for promotion. We will promote people in the very near future.”