It's summer recess - do you know where your congressmen are?

You guessed it.

I think we need to start issuing visas for them to come back.

Rep. Keith Ellison, Congress' sole Muslim member, said Wednesday he will return to Israel for a second time, during this month's congressional recess.

Ellison, a freshman Minnesota Democrat, will be traveling to Israel with about 20 other Democratic lawmakers on a trip sponsored by the American Israel Education Foundation. The foundation in an independent, nonprofit charitable organization affiliated with the America Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby.

In an interview, Ellison noted that much has changed since his last trip to Israel in the spring, as part of a congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. A Palestinian national unity government was dissolved following Hamas' seizure of power in the Gaza Strip, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the rival Fatah faction, formed a government in the West Bank.

This month's delegation, which will be led by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, will visit with Abbas in the West Bank but not with members of Hamas, a group the U.S. labels a terrorist organization. The group leaves Aug. 12.

Ellison said one of the messages of his trip will be to promote dialogue.

"I'm a firm believer that dialogue never hurt anybody — the cost of dialogue is very low," he said. "It's the best way to solve a problem."

But asked if that dialogue ought to include Hamas, Ellison tread carefully.

"Whenever you're talking about dialogue with Hamas, it's something that's extremely controversial," he said. "I'm not trying to step into some controversy. But I am trying to be a voice for dialogue.

"I'm trying to go there to be a helpful figure, not a person who's going to stir up controversies."

Of course he means "helpful" to israel.

After all, THEY paid for his trip. The least he can do in return is kiss their ass.

The delegation, which is geared to freshmen members of Congress, will also meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as well as other Israeli and Palestinian officials, academics and journalists. They plan to visit areas including the Golan Heights as well as Israeli border areas with Jordan, Lebanon and Gaza.

It will mark Ellison's third trip to the Middle East this year, following a trip to Iraq last weekend.

"There are so many people in my district who care about it, that I have to have a certain level of proficiency in it," said Ellison, who represents Minneapolis. "Whether I'm meeting with people from the Jewish Community Relations Council or the Holy Land Restaurant, people want to know what Congress is doing about the region. I just think I need to be knowledgeable, and there's nothing like walking in the space."

The American Israel Education Foundation is also sponsoring a separate trip of GOP lawmakers to Israel, said AIPAC spokesman Josh Block. The foundation organizes the freshmen-oriented trips every other year.

"They meet with a very diverse group of people who represent opinions and views across the political spectrum in Israel, and a diverse group of representative views among both Israelis and Palestinians," Block said.

He estimated the cost at about $5,000 per member.

Is that all???

Our Congress comes cheap.

Neither AIPAC, Ellison's office or Hoyer's office would release the names of the other lawmakers that will be participating on the Democrats' trip.

Is that so?

Since when do our representatives have the authority to cavort with foreign nationals in foreign nations without our knowledge?

In a statement, Hoyer called the trip "an opportunity for members to listen and learn more about this region that is critical to our national security."

What a load of crap.

Our congressmen (and women) are bought and paid for by AIPAC.

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Submitted by qrswave on Thu, 2007-08-02 06:58

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