Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Senate Passes Durbin, Portman Resolution Commemorating 85th Anniversary Of The Holodomor
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rob Portman (R-OH)-who co-chair the Senate Ukraine Caucus-announced that their resolution to commemorate the anniversary of the Holodomor and recognize the Soviet Union's role in perpetrating this genocide has passed the Senate. "Ukraine's famine is an ugly chapter in world history, in which millions of civilians died at the hands of the Soviet Union's cruel policies," Durbin said. "As a co-chair of the Senate's Ukraine Caucus, I am … Continue Reading
September 02, 2018
Durbin, Duckworth, Senators Call On Trump Administration To Meet Current Refugee Resettlement Cap And Significantly Increase Numbers Of Refugees Allowed Into U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 21 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in a letter to President Trump demanding that the Administration honor the United States' legacy as a nation of immigrants and beacon of hope for families around the globe fleeing violence and persecution by increasing the cap on the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. and strengthening resources across the federal … Continue Reading
August 06, 2018
Durbin Statement On President Trump's Decision To Re-Impose Sanctions On Iran
ST. LOUIS-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump announced that he will re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran that were lifted in connection with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement. In May 2018, President Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement. In 2015, Durbin led the effort in the Senate that ultimately allowed the Iran … Continue Reading
August 01, 2018
Durbin Host Bipartisan Senators, NATO & Non-NATO Partner Ambassadors, Reaffirms America's Support In Face Of Russian Aggression
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today hosted a group of bipartisan senators and Ambassadors from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and non-NATO partner nations to discuss U.S.-NATO relations and ongoing Russian aggression, as well as reaffirm America's commitment to our allies and to transatlantic cooperation. U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jack Reed (D-RI) co-hosted the meeting with Durbin, and Senators Ron Johnson (R-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan … Continue Reading
July 18, 2018
Durbin, National Security Democratic Senate Leaders Press President Trump For Details On Putin Summit
WASHINGTON - Following President Donald Trump's meeting and press conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, where President Trump accepted Putin's election meddling denial, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined top Senate Democrats last night in a letter to President Trump listing a series of questions to clarify if and what commitments he made to Putin during their secretive and lengthy meeting. "American citizens and the whole world watched the leader of the free world … Continue Reading
July 17, 2018
Durbin: My Colleagues Are Failing To Live Up To Their Oath, Refuse To Speak Up And Denounce President Trump's Actions In Helsinki
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Senate Republican colleagues to speak up and put country before party following President Donald Trump's remarks at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Yesterday, we watched in disbelief as the president not only refused to even acknowledge the act of cyber war against the United States, but incredibly blamed America first for our poor relationship with Russia. We watched our … Continue Reading
July 16, 2018
Durbin: Trump Joins Putin In "Blaming America First"
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's remarks at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin: President Trump's performance in Helsinki was appalling. By ignoring the evidence of Russian interference in our 2016 election, President Trump joined Vladimir Putin in blaming America for the charges and throwing our intelligence and justice officials under the bus. The President's … Continue Reading
July 10, 2018
Durbin: Trump Is Incapable Of Distinguishing Friends From Enemies
WASHINGTON - Ahead of President Trump's upcoming meetings with NATO allies and Russian President Putin, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor to express deep concern about the current course of American foreign policy under President Trump. Durbin slammed President Trump's willingness to recklessly undermine allies and instead cozy up to adversaries like Russia and North Korea. Durbin also criticized the stunning silence from most Republicans in Congress … Continue Reading
June 12, 2018
Durbin Statement On Trump's Meeting With North Korean Dictator
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the meeting in Singapore between President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un: It is better for the leaders of nations with nuclear weapons to exchange positive words than hurl insults. But the meeting in Singapore did not produce an agreement, nor any credible plan to remove the nuclear threat from the Korean Peninsula. The press opportunity has passed. Now the American people and our … Continue Reading
June 06, 2018
Durbin Introduces Resolution To Reaffirm America's Support For NATO
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced a resolution that would reaffirm America's commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Durbin spoke on the floor about the Trump Administration's contempt for, and undermining of, the organization that includes some of our most important allies in modern history. "In the face of Russian aggression today, instead of fortifying our alliance and coming together in common cause, I'm sorry to report that … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Durbin Blasts Maduro For Expelling U.S. Diplomats From Venezuela
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today blasted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro for expelling America's two highest ranking diplomats in the country, Todd Robinson and Brian Naranjo, on nonsense charges designed to distract from his own government's corruption. Maduro staged an election over the weekend that banned key candidates and parties and has been internationally discredited as a sham. Last month, Durbin traveled to Caracas to warn Maduro that the snap election called … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Durbin Statement On New Videos Of Josh Holt, A U.S. Citizen Imprisoned In Venezuela
ASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after Josh Holt, a U.S. citizen imprisoned on false charges, was seen begging for his life in two videos from inside a Caracas prison: I recently visited Venezuela and met with, among many others, President Maduro. I appealed to him directly to release Josh Holt and his Venezuelan wife, who are being held on plainly political charges. Maduro told me he was seriously considering it. Now, as reports of … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Durbin Y Menendez Exigen Elecciones Libres Y Justas En Venezuela
WASHINGTON-El Asistente Líder de la Minoría del Senado, Dick Durbin (D-IL), y el Senador Bob Menéndez (D-NJ), miembro de más alto rango del Comité de Relaciones Exteriores del Senado, advirtieron hoy al régimen de Maduro en Venezuela que las elecciones que se aproximan serían consideradas ilegítimas si se niega a cumplir con estándares básicos en las urnas, y exigieron elecciones libres y justas para el pueblo … Continue Reading
May 15, 2018
Durbin, Menendez Call For Free And Fair Election In Venezuela
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, today warned the Maduro regime in Venezuela that its upcoming snap election would be considered illegitimate if it failed to meet basic established standards, and called for free and fair election for the Venezuelan people. "The Venezuelan government under President Maduro has taken a series of repressive and undemocratic actions that threatens … Continue Reading
May 09, 2018
Judiciary Committee Democrats Call On President To Withdraw Controversial Justice Dept Nominee Tied To Russian Bank
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are calling on President Trump to withdraw his controversial nomination of Brian Benczkowski to lead the Department of Justice's Criminal Division. Mr. Benczkowski represented Alfa Bank, a massive private commercial bank in Russia closely allied with President Vladimir Putin and his government, and has refused to pledge to recuse himself from Russia-related matters if confirmed. With new revelations coming to light about Russia's … Continue Reading
May 09, 2018
Durbin Presses Trump Administration On Decision To Violate The Iran Nuclear Deal
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, today questioned Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford on President Trump's decision to put the United States in violation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement. In 2015, Durbin led the effort in the Senate that ultimately allowed the Iran Nuclear Agreement to proceed, … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Durbin Rips Trump Decision To Break Iran Deal
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor after President Trump announced that he will unilaterally pull the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement. In 2015, Durbin led the effort in the Senate that ultimately allowed the Iran Agreement to proceed, securing enough votes to block an effort to derail it. "So here we are today, with President Trump plunging us and our allies into … Continue Reading
May 08, 2018
Durbin Statement On Trump Violating The Iran Deal
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after President Trump announced that he will unilaterally pull the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, better known as the Iran Nuclear Agreement: The last thing America and the world need right now is a new nuclear threat. Breaking this deal increases the danger that Iran will restart its nuclear weapons program, which threatens our ally, Israel, and destabilizes the entire … Continue Reading
April 26, 2018
Durbin, Graham Introduce Bipartisan Election Interference Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) today introduced the bipartisan Defending Elections against Trolls from Enemy Regimes (DETER) Act, which will prevent foreign regimes from exploiting our immigration laws to advance their efforts to undermine our democracy. This bill will make "improper interference in U.S. elections" a ground of inadmissibility under U.S. immigration law, and violators would be barred from obtaining a visa to enter the United States. "In … Continue Reading
April 14, 2018
Durbin Statement On Airstrikes In Syria
SPRINGFIELD-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement on the airstrikes in Syria announced by President Trump: White House Chief of Staff John Kelly called me personally before the President's announcement, and last Tuesday, Defense Secretary Mattis briefed me on the early planning and involvement of our allies, Great Britain and France. I supported President Obama's decision to retaliate when Assad first used chemical weapons. The Senate Foreign … Continue Reading