Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Durbin Meets Virtually With International Alliance Of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 2 To Discuss Benefits In The American Rescue Plan
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke virtually with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 2, which represents stagehands and theater workers, to discuss the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and its benefits for working families and organized labor. "Millions of working Americans have lost their jobs and health care coverage during this pandemic, including those who depend on the entertainment industry. In many instances, some are still unable to work. T… Continue Reading
04.22.21
Durbin, Shaheen, Boozman Applaud Committee Passage Of Bipartisan Bill To Increase U.S. Exports To Africa
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and John Boozman (R-AR), today announced that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) advanced their bipartisan legislation to improve America's competiveness throughout the African continent and in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Increasing American Jobs through Greater Exports to Africa Act will force better coordination between U.S. government agencies and departments, establish compre… Continue Reading
04.16.21
Durbin, Leahy, Senate Democrats Urge Biden To Finally Close Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today led 22 Senate Democrats on a letter to President Joe Biden expressing their support for finally closing the detention facility at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In their letter, the Senators wrote that as a symbol of lawlessness and human rights abuses, the detention facility continues to harm U.S.… Continue Reading
04.13.21
Durbin, Duckworth & Colleagues Urge President Biden To Return To Iran Nuclear Agreement
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-MA), and 23 of their Senate colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden expressing the need to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to peacefully and effectively stem the threat of Iran's nuclear program. In the letter, the Senators emphasized the importance of also addressing Iran's taking of U.S. hostages as well as destabilization of the region … Continue Reading
02.04.21
Durbin Statement on President Biden's Decision to Halt U.S. Military Involvement in Yemen
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding President Joe Biden's decision to reverse the Trump Administration's support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen: "Not only was this war never authorized as required by the Constitution, it is a humanitarian disaster with tens of thousands of children having already died of malnutrition. Thankfully, U.S. taxpayer dollars will no longer support this Saudi-led disaster in Yemen. Thank you, Pres… Continue Reading
01.25.21
Durbin, Sanders, Garcia, Colleagues Call on Treasury to Support IMF Assistance for Developing Nations Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), U.S. Representative Jesús "Chuy" García (D-IL-04), and ten of their Senate colleagues sent a letter to Treasury Secretary-designate Janet Yellen regarding the urgent importance of helping stem the devastating economic impact of the COVID pandemic on the world's developing countries and America's trading partners. The members also urged the Biden Administration to support the Supp… Continue Reading
01.21.21
Durbin Meets with William Burns, Biden Nominee for CIA Director
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Ambassador William Burns, President Joe Biden's nominee for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). During their Zoom call, Durbin asked Ambassador Burns about the challenges facing him as incoming CIA Director, what his first priorities are for the agency, and how the Biden Administration should handle global challenges such as Russia and China. "Over the past four years, many of the strongest bonds between… Continue Reading
01.19.21
Durbin Introduces Tony Blinken, Biden Nominee for Secretary of State, at Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today introduced Tony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State, at his nomination hearing with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Durbin noted that Mr. Blinken's career with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and later the Obama Administration - including as the Deputy Secretary of State - make him an ideal choice to lead the State Department and represent our nation around the world. "With the end … Continue Reading
01.11.21
Durbin Discusses American Global Leadership with Tony Blinken, Biden Nominee for Secretary of State
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Tony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State. During their Zoom call, Durbin and Blinken discussed the need to reestablish America's leading role in the world, including to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the global refugee crisis, access to clean water, and supporting Venezuelan Interim-President Juan Guaido and democracy in Venezuela. Durbin and Blinken also spoke about the threats posed from nations like R… Continue Reading
12.18.20
Durbin: I Don't Understand the White House's Silence in the Face of Russian Cyberattack
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed President Trump for his silence in the aftermath of a government-wide cyberattack that was likely conducted by Russia - one of a series of ongoing Russian attacks and threats including the placing of bounties on American servicemembers. Durbin called for the Administration to be firm and honest with the American people about the nature of this threat and for a full investigation into what … Continue Reading
12.17.20
Durbin Calls for Senate Action to Protect Hong Kong Residents from Persecution
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, today participated in a hearing on the United States' Hong Kong refugee policy. During the hearing, Durbin urged the Senate to immediately pass the bipartisan House-passed Hong Kong People's Freedom and Choice Act, which would grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Hong Kong residents currently in the U.S. and provide refugee protections to Hong Kong residents facin… Continue Reading
12.04.20
Durbin, Menendez Statement Ahead of Maduro Regime's Sham Elections in Venezuela
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ) today issued the following statement denouncing the Maduro regime's sham elections scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 6. "For nearly two years, world leaders have stood in solidarity with Interim President Juan Guaidó and Venezuela's last democratically-elected institution, the National Assembly, as they have faced severe political repression an… Continue Reading
09.24.20
Durbin Discusses Troop Withdrawal From Germany, COVID-19 Testing With Secretary Of Defense
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, spoke by phone today with Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to follow up on an August letter regarding the justification for the President's decision to remove nearly 12,000 American service members from Germany. Durbin again pressed Secretary Esper about the plan, its projected timeline, and about support for the Baltics and Poland. With no clear justification from the President or De… Continue Reading
09.22.20
Durbin, Kaine, And Murphy Express Support For Belarusian Presidential Candidate
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) today spoke with Belarusian presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and expressed support for her candidacy and condemned the sham election that took place in August. Durbin, Kaine, and Murphy recently introduced a bipartisan resolution rejecting the discredited election results, condemning Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenko's crackdown on peaceful protestors, and calling for the imposition of sa… Continue Reading
09.17.20
Durbin, Senate Dems Unveil America Leads Act To Confront The Rise Of China
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Democrats to introduce the America Labor, Economic competitiveness, Alliances, Democracy and Security (America LEADS) Act, Senate Democrats' proposal for a new U.S.-China policy. The most comprehensive China legislation to date, the America LEADS Act seeks to recognize that only when we have a vib… Continue Reading
09.15.20
Ahead Of Upcoming National Assembly Elections, Durbin Shares Support For Venezuelan President Juan Guaido
WASHINGTON - Ahead of the approaching Venezuelan National Assembly elections on December 6, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke via phone to interim Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó about the ongoing violent repression and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela caused by the discredited regime of Nicolás Maduro. During today's call, Durbin reiterated his support for Guaidó and his constitutional role to help Venezuela return to the community of democracies,… Continue Reading
09.14.20
Durbin Joins Colleagues To Introduce Bipartisan Resolution In Support Of Belarusian People
WASHINGTON - Following the disputed presidential elections in Belarus on September 9, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Marco Rubio (R-FL) today to introduce a bipartisan resolution condemning the crackdown on peaceful protestors in Belarus and calling for the imposition of sanctions on responsible officials. "I will never forget traveling to Minsk in January 2011 to meet with the families of opposition candidates jai… Continue Reading
09.10.20
Durbin, Booker Introduce Bill To Reverse Trump Withdrawal From The World Health Organization
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bill to ensure the United States fulfills its commitments to the World Health Organization (WHO). Under the Abiding by U.S. Commitments Act, the United States will continue payments of its dues to the WHO and the other international organizations of which it is a member. Earlier this year, the White House announced it would begin the process of terminating the United States' relationship with the World Health Orga… Continue Reading
09.09.20
Durbin Joins Risch, Cardin In Condemning In Violence In Anglophone Cameroon
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) to introduce a resolution calling on the Government of Cameroon and armed separatist groups from the English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions to end all violence, respect the human rights of all Cameroonians, and pursue a genuinely inclusive dialogue toward resolving the ongoing civil conflict in Anglophone Cameroon. "Last year at Chicago's Kovler Center, I heard devastating stories first… Continue Reading
09.03.20
Durbin Meets With Chicago Area Hong Kong Democracy Activists
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today had a virtual meeting with Chicago area Hong Kong democracy activists to discuss the undermining of democracy, media freedom, and rule of law in Hong Kong. Durbin is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent last year. Durbin is also a cosponsor of the bipartisan Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, which grants refugee status to Hong Kong residents at risk of persecutio… Continue Reading