Dreier Welcomes Newly Elected Liberian President in Washington

March 17, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, welcomed the recently elected President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to his Capitol office this week. Dreier congratulated President Johnson-Sirleaf on her victory last November as the first elected female president in Africa. She delivered an address to Congress earlier this week in which she thanked the United States for its continued support for burgeoning democracies and freedom.

"Meeting President Johnson-Sirleaf was a real honor," Dreier said. "She is an inspiration to us all as she leads her country toward a brighter, freer future. Thanks to her election and leadership, Liberia is once again a beacon of freedom for the African continent. I applaud President Johnson-Sirleaf for her perseverance and wish the best for her and her country.

Johnson-Sirleaf’s election followed years of corruption and civil war in Liberia. She was imprisoned for speaking out against the country’s military regime, and was later charged with treason by former President Charles Taylor after she opposed his election. The country of Liberia, which means "land of the free," was founded by 86 freed slaves from the United States in 1820. These freed slaves, called Americo-Liberians established a settlement named Monrovia (after James Monroe). Dreier extended an open invitation to President Johnson-Sirleaf to visit Monrovia, California during her next visit to the United States.