Congressman Salazar Meets with Troops, Counterparts in New Iraqi Government

Salazar to Hand-Deliver Letters of Support from Third Congressional District School Children to Our Troops

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John T. Salazar (CO-3) will depart for the Middle East tomorrow, Thursday, May 5th   to participate in the first Congressional trip to Iraq since the swearing in of the Iraqi government earlier this week. Over a five day period, Salazar will meet with Central Command in Qatar and visit with American troops and elected officials in Jordan and Iraq.  Salazar will also hand-deliver several hundred letters from Third Congressional District schoolchildren to our deployed troops, letting our men and women in the Armed Forces know they have our support.

“This is the first Congressional delegation to go to Iraq since the swearing in of the new government,” said Salazar. “I am honored to be one of the first in Congress to meet our counterparts in the Iraqi National Assembly. The relationships we build with the new elected officials and what we learn about the situation on the ground will influence the decisions this Congress makes about our troops in Iraq.”

Salazar will visit troops stationed in various cities in Iraq to determine what progress the United States has made against insurgents. Salazar also seeks to identify what is needed to bring our troops home as the security situation improves and the new government remains solvent. 

“First comes first - our men and women in Iraq should know they have our support here at home,” said Salazar. “But that support can’t just be lip-service – it is our responsibility to make sure our troops have the resources they need to complete their jobs and return home safely. If we are going to keep faith with our troops and help create a strong democracy in Iraq, we cannot play political games with emergency funding for our troops. Congress needs to pass the Iraq Supplemental budget request before we leave on this trip.”

Congress is expected to vote on the President’s $82 billion emergency appropriations request this week. The emergency funding has stalled in negotiations between the House and Senate due to difference in funding levels for defense programs and unrelated immigration measures.

Soon after he received the invitation from the Republican leadership to participate in this delegation, Salazar reached out to schools in the Third Congressional district, asking students to write letters of appreciation to provide some cheer for our troops. A veteran himself, Salazar understands firsthand how meaningful small gestures of support can be when our troops are separated from family and loved ones.

“Even our youngest citizens can appreciate the sacrifices being made for our freedoms,” said Salazar. “I am happy to be a messenger for our young Americans and let our troops know we support their efforts.”

The Congressional Delegation will be led by House Armed Services Committee Member Robin Hayes (R-NC). Hayes also serves as Chairman of the House Agriculture Horticulture and Commodities Subcommittee, of which Salazar is a Member. The Delegation will also include Congressmen Aiken (R-MO), Tancredo (R-CO), and Pomeroy (D-ND).