Pelosi Leads Congressional Delegation to Italy

February 13, 2009

Washington, D.C. - Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement regarding the departure of a Congressional delegation to Italy this evening. In addition to the Speaker, the following members of the delegation are: John Larson, Democratic Caucus Chair; George Miller, Chair of the Education and Labor Committee; Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture; Ed Markey, Chair of Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming; Anna Eshoo, Chair of the House Select Intelligence Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management; Michael Capuano, Member of the House Financial Services Committee; and Bill Pascrell, Jr., Member of the House Homeland Security Committee.

"My first official trip abroad every year is a visit with our men and women who are stationed around the world. This year, I will be joined by Members of Congress in traveling to Aviano Air Base in Italy to meet with our brave airmen and women serving at that strategic installation. We have thousands of members of our armed forces stationed in Italy, many of whom have served our nation with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The delegation will tour NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples, which coordinates the alliance's efforts to ensure security and stability in Europe and throughout the Mediterranean region, and also pay tribute to fallen U.S. service members at the American Cemetery and Memorial Site in Florence.

"The United States has no greater ally in NATO than Italy, which is why the delegation looks forward to meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa, President of the Chamber Gianfranco Fini and members of the Chamber of Deputies. We will engage in discussions on the need for bilateral and multilateral cooperation in confronting the global economic crisis, defeating terrorist networks, and curbing global warming."