The squabbling and horse-trading on Capitol Hill can often be boring and tiresome. Sometimes though, it results in striking historical rarities, as it did this week:

For the first time in more than 150 years, the Marine Corps is operating without a Senate-confirmed commandant.

The position was vacated Monday when Gen. David H. Berger, who assumed the top role in July 2019, stepped down from the post, which is limited to four years.

The Department of Defense noted that the last time the Corps was without a head was in 1859, when then-Commandant Archibald Henderson died without a successor immediately in place.

Congress appointed Comdt. John Harris to fill that role within a day. Whether or not it can accomplish that kind of turnaround this week is unclear.

The new appointment was held up due to Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who for months has been protesting the Department of Defense's policy that allows female service members to claim travel expenses when aborting their babies.

The Senate "need[s] to do something about this new policy," Tuberville said on Monday.