Virginia Foxx: “I think I will be joined by some colleagues shortly, I hope. Congress recently returned to Washington following a busy…”

“I think I will be joined by some colleagues shortly, I hope. Congress recently returned to Washington following a busy month of work in the district. For a majority of August, I traveled throughout North Carolina's 5th District and conducted scores of meetings with veterans, teachers, and many other constituent groups. During this time, I gained valuable insight into the needs of the people I serve and look forward to continuing to address their concerns. The needs of my home district have always been and continue to be my number one priority. However, as a Member of Congress, it is my duty to educate myself on internal affairs and foreign policy, especially when it pertains to the Middle East. While our foreign neighbors may be far away from northwest North Carolina, our relationships with them affect everyone. For 1 week in August, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to Israel with several colleagues. This educational trip gave me the opportunity to witness how America's national security interests are directly tied to developments in the Middle East, and specifically to Israel's own security. Strategic cooperation between our country and Israel, in intelligence-sharing, fighting the war on terror, strengthening homeland security, promoting democracy, and increasing technology development is vital to the well-being of my constituents and, indeed, all Americans.…”