Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Durbin, Grassley Introdcue Bipartisan Resolution To Celebrate 30th Anniversary Of Restoration Of Independence Of Baltic States
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), co-chairs of the Senate Baltic Caucus, today led 23 of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the restoration of independence of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) amid Russian aggression. The House Baltic Caucus is introducing a compani… Continue Reading
02.28.20
Durbin Statement On Humanitarian Crisis In Idlib, Syria
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement in regards to the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Idlib, Syria: "The renewed violence directed at the civilians in Idlib by the Assad regime and its Russian enablers is an affront to our common humanity. It is long overdue that the Trump Administration step up, along with our European allies, to foster a credible ceasefire and sustained access to humanitarian aid. "President Trump … Continue Reading
02.13.20
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Iran War Powers Resolution
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today released the following statement after the Senate voted to pass a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last month, to prevent a war with Iran without congressional approval. In January, the House passed a similar war powers resolution 224 to 194. It will now go to the President's desk for his signature or veto. "Today, the Sena… Continue Reading
02.12.20
Durbin Calls On Senate Colleagues To Support Iran War Powers Resolution
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today called on his Senate colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last month, to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent a war with Iran without congressional approval. In January, the House passed a similar war powers resolution 224 to 194, and the Senate will vote on the r… Continue Reading
01.14.20
Durbin: The Power To Declare War Rests Solely With Congress
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today continued to caution President Donald Trump from plunging the United States into yet another endless war in the Middle East. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also urged his colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) earlier this month, to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent a war with Iran with… Continue Reading
01.08.20
Durbin Calls On Philippine Government To Release Filipina Senator De Lima
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today once again called for the Philippine government and its autocratic president, Rodrigo Duterte, to release Filipina Senator Leila de Lima or assure a quick and credible trial for her politically motivated incarceration. Senator de Lima is the former head of the National Human Rights Commission of the Philippines and an internationally recognized human right champion who was critical of President Duterte's extrajudicial killings. … Continue Reading
01.08.20
Durbin, Senate Dems Demand Answers From Defense Department On Number Of Troop Deployment To Middle East Following Recent Strike
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and U.S. Army General Mark Milley, requesting that Congress be provided with regular briefings and documents detailing the number of troops the Trump Administration has deployed and plans to deploy in support of… Continue Reading
01.06.20
Durbin: Only Congress Has The Power To Declare War With Iran
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today slammed President Donald Trump's erratic and incoherent policies regarding Iran that might plunge the United States into yet another endless war in the Middle East. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin also urged his colleagues to support a war powers resolution, introduced by Durbin and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) last week, to force a debate and vote in Congress … Continue Reading
01.03.20
Durbin, Kaine File War Powers Resolution To Require Congressional Authorization For War With Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), introduced a war powers resolution to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran. "The Senate must not let this President march into another war in the Middle East without authorization from Congress," Durbin said. "The Constitution is clear - only the Congress can declare war. And whether it does or not, we must ask critical questions of what led … Continue Reading
12.30.19
Durbin Statement On Continued Detention Of Philippine Senator Leila De Lima
CHICAGO-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the continued detention of Philippine Senator Leila de Lima by the government of the Philippines and President Rodrigo Duterte: "Philippines human rights champion Senator Leila de Lima has been jailed for more than 1,000 days on highly questionable charges. Her release, which has been championed by groups such as Amnesty International - and now the U.S. Congress - is unfortunately symbolic o… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Durbin, Blackburn To Burmese State Counsellor: We Urge You To Fully Cooperate With ICJ
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today led a bipartisan group of Senators to express their concerns that Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will publicly excuse the actions of the Burmese military, or Tatmadaw, at a meeting before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, Netherlands. The military likely conducted "genocidal acts" against the Rohingya in 2017, according to Marzukri Darusman, the chairperson of the United Nations Human… Continue Reading
11.19.19
Durbin Statement On Senate Passage Of Hong Kong Human Rights And Democracy Act
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke in support of the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, of which Durbin is a cosponsor. The legislation passed the Senate by unanimous consent. "With the situation deteriorating by the hour in Hong Kong, the passage of the legislation couldn't be more timely. I urge my colleagues in the House to take action quickly after we have acted," Durbin said. "This bill sends… Continue Reading
11.15.19
Durbin, Colleagues Continue To Press Pompeo On Determination To Exclude Saudi Arabia From Child Soldiers List
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and U.S. Representatives Ami Bera (D-CA-07), Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-07), and Ted Lieu (D-CA-33) today lead several of their colleagues in a bicameral letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his reported decision to exclude the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the State Department's list of countries known to recruit and use child soldiers in the 2019 Trafficking in Persons Report, despite State Department experts' findings that s… Continue Reading
11.07.19
Ahead Of President Trump's Meeting With Erdogan, Durbin & Senate Democrats Press President Trump For Comprehensive Plan That Addresses Unanswered Questions About Admin's Efforts To Counter ISIS
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), today joined top Senate Democrats in a letter to President Donald Trump requesting that the President develop and submit a comprehensive strategy to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Senators' letter comes amid ongoing tensions in Northeast Syria, including the escape of at least one hundred ISIS detainees-a direct result of President Trump's decision to greenlight Turkey's military invasion of northern Syria-and ongoing threat… Continue Reading
11.06.19
Durbin Shares Support For Venezuelan President Juan Guiado, Receives Update On Current Situation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today spoke 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, and to do so with a thoughtful and timely transition and credible election process in wh… Continue Reading
11.05.19
Durbin, Colleagues to DOD IG: Investigate Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative Funding That Was Held By Trump Administration
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, along with Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), today reiterated their call for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to review DoD's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative funding appropriated by Congress, which was halted for a signi… Continue Reading
10.31.19
Durbin Meets With Top Venezuelan Diplomat & Foreign Minister For Guiadó Government
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Carlos Vecchio, the top Venezuelan diplomat to the United States under interim President Juan Guaidó's government, and Julio Borges, President Guido's foreign minister. In today's meeting, Durbin offered his continued support for President Guaidó and discussed plans for a managed transition and a timely, open, and fair election. "In today's meeting, I reiterated to Minister Borges and Chargé d'Affa… Continue Reading
09.25.19
Durbin, Menendez, Leahy Respond To Trump Falsehood On Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) issued the following joint statement in response to President Donald Trump's reference to a letter they sent to the General Prosecutor of Ukraine in 2018 raising their concerns that the Trump Administration could unduly pressure Ukraine into obstructing the Mueller investigation by withholding funding: "President Trump is desperate to divert attention from his abuse of power. We wrote to the Ukrainian … Continue Reading
09.24.19
Durbin, Engel, Leahy, Malinowski Call For U.S. Ambassador To Hungary To Uphold American Democratic & Security Norms
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), along with U.S. Representatives Eliot L. Engel (D-NY-16) and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ-07), today sent a letter to the United States Ambassador to Hungary, David Cornstein, calling on him to uphold American democratic values and security interests when dealing with the autocratic government of Victor Orban, whose embrace of Russia and antidemocratic actions are cause for considerable concern. Specifically, the members and Senator… Continue Reading
09.18.19
Durbin Warns Against Escalating Tensions With Iran
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today warned against President Donald Trump's dangerous escalation towards conflict with Iran, which could lead to yet another reckless, never-ending war in the Middle East. In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin argued that the U.S. Constitution is clear that the power to declare war is an explicit power of the Congress. "No war with Iran without the consent of Congress is authorized," Durbin said. "This Congress has rubberstamped… Continue Reading