Durbin Questions Secretary Rubio About $400 Million In Stalled U.S. Assistance For Ukraine And Continuation Of Clean Water Programs For The World’s Poor

Durbin Questions Secretary Rubio About $400 Million In Stalled U.S. Assistance For Ukraine And Continuation Of Clean Water Programs For The World's Poor

"The $400 million that we appropriated to help the Ukrainian people fight this war has bounced back and forth… Are we going to send it to the Ukrainians?" Durbin asked during today's Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs and Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a committee hearing examining the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget request for the U.S. Department of State. During the hearing, Durbin pressed Secretary Rubio about U.S. assistance for Ukraine as it continues to fight off Russian aggression, four years after Vladimir Putin reinvaded the country.

Durbin began by questioning Secretary Rubio about the stalled disbursement of the $400 million in security assistance for Ukraine that was appropriated by Congress in the FY26 defense appropriations bill. Last month, Durbin wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about the $400 million in stalled security assistance, as well as $200 million for the Baltic States, urging the funds be immediately obligated and disbursed.

"Here we are four and a half years later, the Ukrainians are still valiantly, successfully in many respects, fighting [Russia] day in and day out. I never had any doubt in my mind whose side I was on, in terms of the war in Ukraine," Durbin began.

"The $400 million that we appropriated to help the Ukrainian people fight this war has bounced back and forth. Has it finally been resolved? Are we going to send it to the Ukrainians?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Rubio said that the funding is going through interagency processes but that he expects news shortly on the funding's release.

Durbin replied, "That is what Secretary Hegseth said two or three weeks ago, and nothing has happened. Here they are fighting for their lives. They're facing ballistic missiles. They don't have the defense that they need. They're valiantly doing everything they can to save their people, and we're going through bureaucratic malaise…Will it be timely help? Will it be help that we can send them quickly that they need?"

Secretary Rubio said he hopes the issue is resolved quickly.

Durbin also pressed Secretary Rubio about the Trump Administration's seemingly congenial relationship with Vladimir Putin, asking why the President is sending a U.S. delegation this week to the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in Russia.

"Twelve hours ago or so, when the Russians were attacking Ukraine and killing civilians, the Ukrainians were attacking the Russians in St. Petersburg. They destroyed some of their infrastructure and oil producing facilities. It is especially interesting to Putin because it is a week of the 'Russian Davos' [the St. Petersburg Economic Forum]…I'm asking why the United States would send an official delegation to Vladimir Putin's 'Russian Davos' to talk about economic development in Russia?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Rubio said he was not familiar with which U.S. officials are attending. Secretary Rubio then expressed his hope for an end to the war before the attacks are escalated even further.

Durbin concluded his time by ensuring that Secretary Rubio would stand by his efforts to bring clean drinking water and sanitation systems to needy communities across the globe. In 2005, Congress overwhelmingly passed the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act, which made access to clean water and sanitation a key U.S. development goal. In 2014, Durbin led follow-up legislation, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2014, to build on the original bill's goals for clean water and sanitation.

"You joined me when you were a member of the Senate in [supporting] the Paul Simon Water for the World Act to bring clean drinking water and sanitation to some of the poorest people on Earth. We've reached 76 million people with water, 58 million with sanitation. That program is still on the books. Are we going to fund it?" Durbin asked.

Secretary Rubio affirmed his commitment to ensuring the program continues to be well-funded and implemented.

Video of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Audio of Durbin's opening statement is available here.

Footage of Durbin's opening statement is available here for TV Stations.

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