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Congresswoman Veronica Escobar meets with El Pasoans in Baghdad.

This week, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) joined her House Armed Services Committee (HASC) colleagues for her first overseas congressional delegation trip.

The delegation visited Jordan and Iraq, where they received operational and intelligence updates from the different military commands within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, executed key engagements with host nations and Department of State leadership, and received important briefings on the operational and strategic impacts of U.S. policy and the National Defense Strategy in the Middle East region. Congresswoman Escobar released this statement following the trip:

“It was a privilege to join my HASC Readiness Subcommittee colleagues to visit our troops and meet with leaders of our military, intelligence and State Department, women advocates, and heads of state, including King Abdullah II of Jordan and Iraq Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi and Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi.

“This trip allowed me the opportunity to see first-hand the challenges we face in the Middle East, reaffirm our partnership in defeating ISIS, and underscore the importance of fostering bilateral collaborations in the region.

“A wonderful by-product of this informative visit was being able to spend time with El Pasoans serving our country and meeting the women and men, both military and civilian, who make countless sacrifices for our country, including my own brother, Gabriel.

“As I return to El Paso and our nation’s capital, I am certain that this journey has enriched my understanding of the gains we’ve made in the Middle East and the military and diplomatic challenges that remain to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for the people of Iraq.”

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar was joined by Congressman John Garamendi (CA-03), Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, and Congresswoman Deb Haaland (NM-01).