Washington, D.C. - Congressman Howard L. Berman made the following statement on the end of the U.S. military deployment in Iraq, which will conclude on December 31, 2011.

“As the War in Iraq concludes, and our troops prepare to return home by year's end, I want to express my profound gratitude to our brave men and women in uniform who made enormous sacrifices and exhibited tremendous courage during their deployment in Iraq, along with their families, whose support was a great source of strength for their loved ones overseas,” said Rep. Berman.  “It's wonderful that many of our service members will get to spend this holiday season at home with their families.”

“I commend President Obama for adhering to his pledge to bring our troops home by the end of this year,” Berman continued.  “After our troops depart, we will continue to work with the Iraqi government to create a productive and lasting partnership between our two nations.”

“The United States has an obligation to continue to assist our brave service members as they return home,” concluded Rep. Berman.  “I will continue to support the veterans of San Fernando Valley and work tirelessly to ensure that they receive the best possible medical care and have the employment and educational assistance they so richly deserve.”