Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Durbin Details Mission To Venezuela In Senate Floor Speech
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke about his recent travel to Venezuela, where he met with President Nicolas Maduro, members of the opposition, the President of the National Assembly, the Ministers of Health and Nutrition, business leaders, civil society groups, doctors, and humanitarian organizations. "What I found was in fact a country on the edge of a precipice, facing overlapping economic, humanitarian, and political crises," said Durbin. "Let me be … Continue Reading
March 20, 2018
Ahead Of Senate Vote On War Powers, Durbin Calls On Congress To Halt Unauthorized U.S. Military Involvement In Yemen
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Senate to pass a bipartisan joint war powers resolution to end unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Yemen. The Senate is expected to vote on the matter this afternoon. "The obvious question to ask is, in the 16 years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places in the world, how many other times have the United States Senate and House of Representatives come together to debate the wisdom of a decision about … Continue Reading
February 23, 2018
Durbin Presses President Trump To Demand Syria and Russia End Horrific Bombing of Eastern Ghouta
CHICAGO - As Syrian government warplanes supported by Russia have relentlessly bombarded the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta for six days, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged President Trump to demand that Russia end this senseless bombing of innocent civilians and allow medical and humanitarian relief to reach the area's victims. Durbin also stressed that any such discussion with President Putin must also address deeply troubling, and seemingly ignored, reports that Russian … Continue Reading
October 13, 2017
Durbin Statement On Trump Decertifying Iran Nuclear Deal
CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), who led the effort to secure the Iran Nuclear Agreement in the Senate in 2015, released the following statement: "Thanks to the Agreement and its inspectors, Iran is further away from a nuclear weapon than at any point in more than a decade. It has agreed to never pursue a nuclear weapon and to continue intrusive inspections around the clock. That's good for America's security and the security of our allies in the Middle … Continue Reading
September 07, 2017
Durbin, McCain Resolution Condemns Violence Against Burmese Rohingya, Calls On Aung San Suu Kyi To Act
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ) today introduced a resolution condemning the horrific acts of violence being committed against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Burma, and calling on Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi to live up to her historic democratic and human rights ideals by taking action to stop this humanitarian tragedy. Co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the resolution: (1) condemns the … Continue Reading
August 02, 2017
Durbin Introduces Bill To End Cuba Embargo And Establish Normal Trade Relations
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to introduce the U.S.-Cuba Trade Act of 2017, which would repeal outdated sanctions on Cuba and establish normal trade relations with the island nation. "Ending the embargo is about more than opening the country up to American businesses and travel-it's about opening Cuba to new ideas, new values, and improved human rights that our 50 year old policy of isolation could not achieve," said Durbin. "While … Continue Reading
July 19, 2017
Durbin, Nelson, Rubio, Menendez, Cruz, Merkley Introduce Resolution Honoring Late Cuban Dissident Oswaldo Paya
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the fifth anniversary of Oswaldo Payá's death, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced a bipartisan resolution honoring the legacy of the Cuban dissident and calling for an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Payá, an outspoken activist for free speech, democracy, and human rights, died in a car crash on July 22, 2012. … Continue Reading
July 12, 2017
Durbin, Klobuchar, Cardin, Reed Introduce Legislation To Prevent Creation Of Cybersecurity Unit With Russia
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jack Reed (D-RI) today introduced legislation to prevent the creation of a cybersecurity unit with Russia. The legislation follows the suggestion from President Trump that the United States should partner with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on a joint cybersecurity unit. The No Funds for Cyber Coordination with Russia Act of 2017 says that the President should publicly accepts U.S. intelligence … Continue Reading
July 10, 2017
Durbin Joins Bipartisan Letter Urging Ambassador Haley To Pursue Special Investigation Into Deaths Of UN Imvestigators
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined a bipartisan group of ten senators in urging the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to work with the UN Secretary-General to pursue an independent special investigation into the suspicious deaths of two UN investigators killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in March. American Michael Sharp and Swedish-Chilean dual citizen Zaida Catalán were murdered in the Kasai region of the DRC while they were investigating human … Continue Reading
July 06, 2017
Ahead Of President Trump's First Meeting With Vladimir Putin, Senate Dem National Security Leaders Write To President Trump Demanding That He Press Putin On Russia's Interference In The 2016 U.S. Election
President Trump's Meeting With President Putin Will Be Their First Individual Meeting Since The U.S. Intelligence Community's Conclusion That Russia Sought To Undermine The Most Central Tenet Of U.S. Democracy - Our Election Despite Russia's Election Interference, The Trump Admin Has Said The President Has No Agenda Going Into Meeting With Putin - Senate Dems Say Not Raising Putin's Election Meddling would be a Dereliction of President Trump's Duty Senate Dems to Pres. Trump: Don't Let … Continue Reading
June 01, 2017
Durbin Visits South Korea to Discuss Regional Threats
CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin has returned from South Korea, where he met with newly-elected President Moon Jae-in, his National Security Advisor, Defense Minister, and other key officials. Durbin also met with U.S. diplomatic and military personnel deployed on the Korean peninsula. "The Trump Administration has taken an aggressive stance with North Korea and made contradictory statements that have rattled the international community-I wanted to get a sense for how that is … Continue Reading
April 07, 2017
Durbin, Cassidy, Burgess, Cummings Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Improve Accountability Of Foreign Medical Schools Receiving Federal Student Aid
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) joined U.S. Representatives Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Elijah Cummings (D-MD) to reintroduce bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would protect students and taxpayers by closing a loophole that gives special treatment to a small number of overseas medical schools. The Foreign Medical School Accountability Fairness Act would require all medical schools outside of the U.S. and Canada to meet the same minimum requirements to … Continue Reading
April 06, 2017
Durbin Statement on U.S. Missile Strikes in Syria
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: My preliminary briefing by the White House indicated that this was a measured response to the Syrian nerve gas atrocity. Any further action will require close scrutiny by Congress, and any escalation beyond airstrikes or missile strikes will require engaging the American people in that … Continue Reading
April 04, 2017
Durbin Statement on Chemical Weapons Attack in Syria
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement: Images of the victims of Assad's latest chemical weapons attack-including women and children-are a horrific reminder that the six-year conflict in Syria is the humanitarian crisis of our time. History will judge how America responded, and so far, our response has been insufficient-failing to create humanitarian safe zones, shutting the door on Syrian refugees, and now this White House is cozying up to … Continue Reading
March 14, 2017
Durbin, Rubio Reintroduce Legislation To Promote Education Abroad
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today reintroduced legislation to expand educational opportunities for the world's poorest children. The Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act addresses barriers to school attendance, retention, and completion in developing countries by leveraging U.S. contributions through collaboration with governments, civil society, and global education initiatives. Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Dave … Continue Reading
February 20, 2017
Durbin In Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine To Discuss NATO, Russia
WARSAW-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin is in Poland today, as part of travel to three eastern European nations to discuss Russian aggression and interference in western democracies, and congressional support for the transatlantic relationship and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Durbin was joined by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in Warsaw for meetings with senior government officials. In Vilnius, Lithuania, Durbin will meet with President Dalia Grybauskaite, … Continue Reading
February 09, 2017
Durbin Statement On Reports Of Conflict Minerals Executive Order
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after reports that the Trump Administration is considering an executive order rolling back a rule requiring companies registered in the United States to disclose to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) what they are doing to mitigate sourcing from conflict mines in and around the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). "This law was passed to help save the lives of the children, women, and men who were being … Continue Reading
February 08, 2017
Senators Meet With Baltic And Polish Ambassadors To Discuss Russian Aggression In The Region
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) met today with Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S. Rolandas Kriš?i?nas, Latvian Ambassador to the U.S. Andris Teikmanis, Estonian Ambassador to the U.S. Eerik Marmei, and Polish Ambassador to the U.S. Piotr Wilczek, to discuss Russian aggression in the region, the importance of maintaining transatlantic unity, and support for NATO and … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Durbin Opposes Confirmation of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after voting against Rex Tillerson, President Trump's nominee for Secretary of State: Election Day 2016 is a day that will live in cyber infamy-the result of a hostile foreign power intentionally attacking our democracy to influence the outcome of the presidential election. I have said repeatedly that this act of cyber warfare must not go unanswered, so I was deeply disturbed that Mr. Tillerson showed so little … Continue Reading
January 18, 2017
Durbin Presses Secretary Of State Nominee Rex Tillerson On Russia Ties, U.S. Foreign Policy Under Pres.-Elect Trump
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson. Durbin pressed Mr. Tillerson about his role in carrying out U.S. foreign policy under President-elect Trump, particularly given his recent dismissal of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as obsolete. "The first thing I asked Mr. Tillerson was how he thought he could be an effective Secretary of State, dealing with a President who regularly tweets dramatic reversals of American foreign … Continue Reading