DURBIN CRITICIZES TRUMP AND MUSK FOR DISMANTLING OF USAID AND HARMING AMERICAN FARMERS IN SENATE FLOOR SPEECH
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In his remarks, Durbin also debunked Kremlin-fostered falsehoods about USAID that have been circulated by Trump, Musk, and foreign adversaries and called on Republicans to speak up
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) criticized President Trump and Elon Musk’s ill-advised mission to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)—the largest distributor of humanitarian aid in the world. Consequently, programs that provide clean drinking water, treat debilitating disease, and advance human rights have been shut down, recklessly gutting American soft power and providing a huge strategic opening to China.
“This month, President Trump and Elon Musk attempted to dismantle USAID, the largest distributor of humanitarian aid on this earth. Musk was gleeful when he said we are ‘feeding USAID to the wood chipper,’” Durbin began.
Durbin then listed the critical programs housed under USAID, which have since shuttered. USAID has provided clean water in Haiti and Jordan, helped fight malaria and tuberculosis in Kenya and Uganda, and supported human rights programs in countries such as Burma, China, Iran, North Korea, and Sudan. The agency has also provided economic assistance to Central America to address the root causes of migration and counter the flow of fentanyl in to the U.S., in addition to leading campaigns to counter disinformation from Russia and China to protect U.S. national security interests.
Despite blatantly inaccurate claims from President Trump and Musk, USAID funding makes up only one percent of the federal budget and billions of those aid dollars flow back into the American economy. Furthermore, these programs have a long history of broad bipartisan support in Congress. In Illinois, these cuts have forced the closure of the Soybean Innovation Lab at the University of Illinois. As a result, 30 experts will lose jobs that were dedicated to expanding international soybean markets, at a time when Illinois ranks number one in the U.S. for soybean production, and new markets are critical for addressing low soybean prices.
“Not only are these cuts to USAID a betrayal of American values to satisfy the narcissism of Elon Musk, but they hurt innocent people, and they hurt American farmers… who, for decades, have helped provide such critical and strategic food aid,” Durbin continued. “Not only is this sweeping aid cut illegal and counterproductive, but it hurts American farmer in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Wisconsin, and many other states. American farms supply more than 40 percent of the food aid that USAID distributes around the world. And now, hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of such commodities are stranded in ports, rotting away at the direction of the new administration.”
In addition to hurting the U.S. economy, halting foreign aid has endangered global programs that have helped stem pandemics and supported clean water and sanitation programs.
“Programs like PEPFAR have been a key example of humanitarian success abroad. It was started by President George W. Bush, a Republican president, who wanted to curtail the AIDS epidemic ravaging many parts of the world, including Africa. PEPFAR and the Global Fund have saved more than 25 million lives so far,” Durbin said. “But because of President Trump’s directive, it’s been halted… People will die as a result of this political decision.”
“In the last decade, USAID clean water and sanitation programs have provided more than 70 million people with first-time sustainable access to clean water... These programs that have a six-to-one return in dollars saved in health, economic, and education,” Durbin continued. “But because of the President’s directive, innocent people across the world will suffer, and America’s reputation will be weakened, not made stronger.”
Durbin concluded his remarks by debunking lies about foreign aid, including falsehoods amplified by Russia, China, and other adversaries. Durbin referred to a fabricated video created by a private company with links to the Kremlin, which falsely claimed that celebrities were paid by USAID to visit Ukraine.
“The Russian influence campaign was reposted on Twitter by Elon Musk, no surprise, and became a viral disinformation rallying cry against USAID. But it was false—like so many of the allegations of supposed outrages by USAID,” Durbin said. “And yet, this kind of nonsense is used by Mr. Musk to justify gutting entire congressionally-appropriated American soft power programs, while many of my Republican colleagues, virtually all of them, sit silently.”
“This Senate, Republicans and Democrats, cannot afford to roll over, play dead, and hand over congressional authority on these bipartisan programs and on larger constitutionally-designated Congressional appropriations powers,” Durbin concluded.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
DURBIN: PRESIDENT TRUMP IS A PUSHOVER FOR RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN
On the Senate floor, Durbin condemns President Trump’s attacks on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor condemning President Donald Trump after he publicly attacked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Further parroting a Kremlin propaganda point, President Trump also falsely claimed that Ukraine started the war against Russia.
“Three years ago, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not a partisan issue in the United States. Congressmen and Senators on both sides of the aisle agreed on the basic facts—Russia was waging an unprovoked, illegal war and must be stopped at all costs. And for the past three years, we have supported Ukraine with the funding it needed to beat back Russian aggression and defend the frontline of democracy in Europe. And the Ukrainian people have done just that—46,000 Ukrainian lives have been lost—46,000 defending their nation against Putin,” Durbin said. “President Trump is a pushover for Russian President Vladimir Putin, always has been and will always be. Since Trump took office, he has played right into Putin’s hands, the outrageous comments he posted today on Truth Social make that painfully clear.”
In the post, President Trump claimed the U.S. was “duped” into spending billions to help Ukraine defend itself following Russia’s 2022 full-scale military invasion and that President Zelenskyy is a “dictator without elections.”
“Can you believe that? An American President selling out a democratic leader bravely defending his country from an actual dictator—Putin, a former KGB apparatchik at that? It is insulting to say that. It is shameful. But from this President, it is no surprise,” Durbin continued. “President Trump is doing nothing more than parroting Kremlin propaganda and spreading lies that Putin whispers into his ear. I could call on Trump to apologize to the people of Ukraine who have suffered so much, but it would be a waste of breath. Let me be clear to President Trump, you don’t make America great by selling out our nation and allies to a Russian dictator. Most of my Republican colleagues know this… but it’s time now for them to speak up.”
Durbin concluded his speech by reflecting on President Abraham Lincoln in which he stated when referring to the Civil War, “Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war, rather than let it perish. And the war came.”
“Putin has made war rather than let Ukraine survive and Ukraine has had no choice but to accept war rather than see itself perish. And President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people have led that noble effort with strength, fortitude, and determination. As their ally, as a fellow democracy, as a nation committed to freedom—the United States of America has an obligation to stand by Ukraine—not to appease Putin,” said Durbin.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
