Quad City Congressmen Travel to Afghanistan
Rep. Braley, Rep. Schilling Make Official Visit
Washington, DC - Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) and Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) traveled to Afghanistan to meet with top U.S. military officials and local Afghan leaders. The Congressmen also visited U.S. troops from Illinois and Iowa.
Rep. Braley, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said:
"I was pleased to meet General Petraeus and our top commanders in Afghanistan - and to get their sense of the full scope and progress of our mission there."
Rep. Schilling, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said: "It was important to me to be fully informed of American Military activity in Afghanistan."
Both Rep. Braley and Schilling praised U.S. troops and were pleased to hear directly from them during the visit.
Rep. Braley said: "I am proud of all our soldiers, and especially so of the Iowa National Guard troops that I had the chance to meet with. These brave men and women are doing an extraordinary job at protecting America."
Rep. Schilling said: "I am proud of the work being done by our troops in Afghanistan and I am inspired by their dedication to the mission. Our troops have made great progress developing relationships with local leaders and killing or capturing terrorist cells."
Both Congressmen traveled to Afghanistan on a fact-finding mission with the House Armed Services Committee.
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Braley Meets with Gen. Petraeus, Iowa National Guard Troops
Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) is returning from a fact-finding Congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan, where he met with General David Petraeus, Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, and Iowa National Guard troops from the First Congressional District.
"Yesterday, I met with General Petraeus and top commanders to discuss our mission and progress in Afghanistan," said Rep. Braley. "I also had the chance to visit several Iowa National Guard troops and talk to them about their experiences. Our brave soldiers make tremendous sacrifices to protect this country, and I want to make sure they can complete their mission and come home safely."
High-resolution photos from Rep. Braley's trip are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
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