ANDREWS AFB, VA.-  Congressman Jim Saxton (NJ-3rd) departed Washington today, taking a bipartisan congressional delegation to the Iraqi theater to ascertain the state of operations and meet with U.S. forces and foreign government officials.

 “The House Armed Services Committee has a responsibility to our troops in the field,” Saxton said. “Congress passed the resolution supporting the use of force in Iraq, and now Congress must show our deployed troops they are not alone and that we support them.”
  Four other Members of Congress are in the delegation.

 The Members will be presented briefings on recent and current operations in the war on terrorism. The delegation will visit several locations throughout the region.

 “We plan to meet with troops and local officials,” Saxton said.

 Saxton is the chairman of the newly created House Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, an extension of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC). Saxton is the fourth-highest ranking member of HASC, and highest-ranking Member on the trip.

 Saxton has met with troops who served in Afghanistan and Iraq at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., home of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and Fort Bragg, home to the Army’s 82nd Airborne and Army Special Forces Command.