DeLauro Visits Connecticut Troops Stationed In Afghanistan, Meets With Afghan President And Commander Of NATO Resolute Support Mission And US Forces

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding last week's Congressional Delegation trip to Afghanistan that she attended with Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Members of the House of Representatives. During the visit, DeLauro met with United States, NATO, and Afghan service members, including those from Connecticut, who are stationed in the country.

Members of the Delegation also met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, as well as Commander of NATO Resolute Support Mission and US Forces in Afghanistan General John Nicholson, Jr. and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Peter Michael McKinley.

"Our men and women in the military--including the three service members I met from Connecticut--continue to make extraordinary sacrifices and I was honored to spend time with them during my trip to Afghanistan. We cannot thank our men and women in uniform enough for their service to our nation.

"During our visit, General John Nicholson, Jr. briefed us on the state of affairs in the country and gave us an update on our operations in the region. We also met with President Ashraf Ghani and Afghan government leaders to discuss several issues, including security, governance, development, and corruption. During our conversations, we discussed the state of Afghanistan's agriculture and health care sectors, which are critical to country's future. While we have made significant progress in Afghanistan, there are still many challenges facing the country today.

"Brig. Gen. David Hicks gave us a tour of the base and during that time, we discussed the importance of our military supporting American jobs. I made it very clear that in the face of recent sanctions on the Russian arms dealers and Russia's attempts to undermine our operations in the region, the U.S. should work with American manufacturers. There is no reason why we should prioritize Russian companies over our own hardworking men and women at home.

"While in Afghanistan, we also had the opportunity to meet with women leaders from civil society and discuss the ways in which they are poised to make progress. These women show incredible strength, despite the challenges they face. I look forward to continuing our dialogue with the Afghan people to strengthen their country."

Last week's visit was DeLauro's second visit to Afghanistan, which followed her initial visit to the country in 2009.

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