Tom Tancredo: “I had the great privilege of going to the Sudan. Actually, it was the very first trip I ever took as a congressman. It…”

“I had the great privilege of going to the Sudan. Actually, it was the very first trip I ever took as a congressman. It was in 1999. Senator Brownback and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), we were privileged to go to the Sudan. I did not know what I was going to see there. I was concerned about the conditions there, and our own safety, as a matter of fact. I have to admit that was of some concern to me. We were told that we should not go. The State Department sent cables to my home stating do not go there. We have no people that we will give you as support. You should not go. Some of these places are in an area that is actively involved with the war effort in the south. There are towns that are being bombed, so we cannot really say anything about your safety except that you will have very little security. Under those conditions, I wondered how sage I was about actually making a decision to go on such a trip. But it was important to do. I felt moved to do it, and I was going with someone who had been there before.”