Maine Rep. Tom Allen makes first Iraq visit

PORTLAND – Rep. Tom Allen is making his first trip to Iraq as part of a bipartisan delegation that will also visit Afghanistan and Pakistan, his office said Monday.

Allen, D-Maine, left Washington on Sunday with six other congressmen. During the trip, the group will meet with U.S. troops, American military leaders and Iraqi and Afghani leaders. The group leaves Iraq for Pakistan on Tuesday before traveling to Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Allen said it’s important to get a firsthand look as Congress faces critical decisions in the weeks ahead about troop deployments, among other things.

“I am looking forward to the opportunities this visit will provide for me to listen to the troops in the field and leaders in the region. This firsthand experience will give me valuable insights as the debate proceeds in Congress,” he said in a statement.

Other members of the delegation are Reps. Thelma Drake, R-Va.; Rush Holt, D-N.J.; Jeff Miller, R-Fla.; Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill.; and Phil Gingrey and Jack Kingston, both R-Ga.

Allen visited Afghanistan in 2002 but this is his first visit to Iraq. He’s the third member of Congress from Maine to do so, joining Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe.