Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Durbin Applauds President Biden's Decision To Withhold Certain Military Assistance From Israel
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded President Biden’s decision to withhold military assistance from Israel that could be used for a full-scale invasion of the city of Rafah. Durbin said, “It is not, as some have characterized, a failure to support Israel in a dangerous region after a genuinely horrific Hamas attack. And October 7th was such an attack. It is, instead, a warning from one of the most pro-Israeli U.S. Presidents … Continue Reading
May 14, 2024
Durbin Praises Russian Dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza for Winning Pulitzer Prize for Writings Criticizing Putin Regime
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech honoring Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition figure who has survived two poisoning attempts by the Kremlin, for earning a Pulitzer Prize for his writings aspiring for a democratic Russia and criticizing Vladimir Putin’s disastrous war in Ukraine. In his remarks, Durbin spoke with admiration about Kara-Murza’s advocacy for a more democratic … Continue Reading
April 15, 2024
Following Iran’s Attack On Israel, Durbin Urges House Republicans To Finally Pass The National Security Supplemental
WASHINGTON - Following Iran’s attack on Israel this weekend, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today urged House Republicans to finally pass the national security supplemental, which passed the Senate in February on a bipartisan basis and would provide aid for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and Taiwan. During his speech, Durbin reflected on the ongoing threats that Iran posed prior to the attack on Israel. “I had the privilege of visiting our American service members stationed with the … Continue Reading
April 13, 2024
Durbin Statement on Iran's Attack on Israel
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding reports that Iran launched attacks on Israel: “Putin’s ally Iran has been a destabilizing regional spoiler, arming Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis foryears, using proxies to attack U.S. interests, and inching ever closer to a nuclear weapon—a situation made worse since Trump petulantly withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear agreement that had constrained that dangerous program. I hope … Continue Reading
April 09, 2024
Durbin Questions USAID Administrator Powers on Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, today participated in a Subcommittee hearing entitled “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the U.S. Agency for International Development.” During the hearing, Durbin questioned the witness, U.S. Agency for International Aid (USAID) Administrator Samantha Powers, about U.S. efforts to bring aid to Gaza as … Continue Reading
April 08, 2024
Durbin Reiterates Ceasefire Call Following the Death of Seven Humanitarian Aid Workers in Gaza
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered a speech on the Senate floor in response to the death of seven aid workers in Gaza earlier this month. The aid workers, employees of World Central Kitchen, had been part of efforts to feed innocent civilians in Gaza caught in the crossfire of Israel’s military response following the horrendous Hamas attack on October 7. Since the October 7 attack on Israel, more than 33,000 people, mostly women and children, having … Continue Reading
February 26, 2024
Durbin Calls Out House Republicans for Abandoning Aid to Ukraine Following Death of Alexei Navalny
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech emphasizing the necessity of delivering aid to Ukraine as it continues to fend off attacks from Vladimir Putin and following the tragic death of Russian opposition leader and anticorruption activist, Alexei Navalny. Durbin’s speech comes after the Senate passed the national security supplemental with strong bipartisan support, which provides aid … Continue Reading
February 14, 2024
Durbin, Duckworth Join Booker, Colleagues in Calling for Swift Action to Aid American Citizens and Families Trapped in Gaza
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in leading 13 colleagues in calling on Secretary Antony Blinken and Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to expand assistance for relatives of U.S. citizens stranded in Gaza. The Senators expressed concerns about the current limited eligibility criteria forState Department assistance, and advocated for the State Department to press all conflicting parties to include … Continue Reading
February 09, 2024
Durbin Calls Out Senate Republicans for Abandoning Border Deal, Delaying Aid to Ukraine at Trump's Whim
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today took to the Senate floor to deliver a speech emphasizing the necessity of delivering aid to Ukraine as it continues to fend off attacks from Vladimir Putin. Durbin’s speech comes after nearly 20 Republican Senators supported a procedural vote to consider a national security supplemental that provides urgently-needed security and humanitarian … Continue Reading
December 06, 2023
Durbin, Graham Statement on First-Of-Its-Kind War Crimes Charges by DOJ Related to Russian Invasion of Ukraine
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released the following statement on the Department of Justice (DOJ) announcing first-of-its-kind war crimes charges against four Russian men in connection to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “Today’s announcement by the Justice Department is a welcome step. The four Russian military personnel charged allegedly interrogated, … Continue Reading
December 06, 2023
Durbin Statement on Failed Vote on the Emergency Supplemental to Provide Aid to Israel and Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted against President Biden’s national security supplemental funding request, which includes emergency funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian crises: “The scale and viciousness of the Hamas terrorist attack against the Israeli people are reprehensible, and today, along with my Democratic colleagues, I voted … Continue Reading
December 06, 2023
Durbin, Tester, Bennet, Klobuchar Meet with Ukraine's Speaker of the Parliament
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, along with U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) hosted Ruslan Stefanchuck, Speaker of the Parliament of Ukraine, and Oksana Markarova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, to discuss President Biden’s emergency supplemental request, which includes funds for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian needs. The Senate is expected … Continue Reading
November 30, 2023
Durbin Discusses Reopening Gaza Hospitals with UN Secretary General
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke by phone with United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres to discuss avenues to reopen key Gaza hospitals under the supervision of a credible, neutral third party in order to help innocent civilians caught in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. “I had a productive conversation with Secretary General Guterres about efforts to alleviate suffering of innocents caught in the conflict in Gaza,” said Durbin. “In particular, … Continue Reading
November 27, 2023
Durbin Calls to Reopen Gaza Hospitals Under Neutral Third Part As Israel-Hamas Reach a Temporary Ceasefire Deal and Hostage Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the need to reopen key Gaza hospitals under the supervision of a credible, neutral third party in order to help the innocent civilians caught in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During his speech, Durbin said he planned to speak with Secretary General António Guterres about implementing this proposal. He also called on Congress to pass President Biden’s emergency supplemental request, which includes … Continue Reading
November 22, 2023
Durbin Statement on Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal and Hostage Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas to release 50 hostages currently being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip over a four-day long ceasefire: “I am relieved and heartened that the deal to release 50 of the 240 hostages being held by Hamas over a four-day ceasefire has been reached, with the possibility to extend the ceasefire by an additional day for every ten hostages … Continue Reading
November 20, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Join Baldwin, Colleagues in Calling for Immediate Steps to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Gaza and Protect Civilians
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led their colleagues in urging President Biden to work with Israel and international partners to implement a plan that will protect innocent civilian life in Gaza, deliver sustained humanitarian aid, and work toward the long term goals of ending Hamas’s threat, bringing hostages home, and achieving … Continue Reading
November 14, 2023
Durbin Objects to Partisan Bill that Dangerously Omits Funding for Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor joined members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in opposing U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) request for unanimous consent (UC) to pass House Republicans’ partisan aid package, which includes funding forIsrael but neglects to support Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Putin’s unrelenting attacks and conditions support for Israel by offsetting other federal funding. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized his … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin Reflects on Horrific Violence in the Middle East and Need for Long Term Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During his speech, Durbin remembered the victims of the October 7th horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and commended President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel, as well as the recent provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict. “The wanton slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and an … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin Applauds President Biden's Emergency Supplemental Request to Provide Security Aid to Israel and Ukraine
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement in support of President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel and Ukraine: “The scale and viciousness of the Hamas terrorist attack against the Israeli people are reprehensible, and I support President Biden’s emergency aid request to help Israel defend itself and free any hostages. Violence against the innocent—both Israelis … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth, Murphy, Senators Call for Humanitarian Aid to Address Emergency Needs in Gaza
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), led 28 of their Senate colleagues in urging the Biden Administration to lead the international community in contributing to the United Nations’ emergency appeal of $294 million to address the immediate humanitarian needs in the West Bank and Gaza. Today, President Biden announced significant humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in those areas. Durbin and … Continue Reading