U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, recently led a bipartisan delegation to the Middle East amid concerns about rising threats and instability.
The Congressional delegation of Cole and U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), John Rutherford (R-FL), Ed Case (D-HI), and Mark Alford (R-MO) met with heads of state and other leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Israel to discuss ongoing conflicts caused by Iran’s proxies and to understand objectives to achieving peace and security in the region.
Officials said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, King of Jordan Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein, and Saudi officials, held productive, high-level meetings with the delegation to reinforce strategic alliances and discuss the importance of increased regional cooperation, as well as the shared commitments to global security.
In Israel, the delegation re-affirmed the bond between the United States and Israel while meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Foreign Minister Israel Katz. The delegation heard briefings on military operations, efforts to rescue hostages, and the activities of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-regime proxies. A little more than a year after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the members concluded their visit to the Middle East with a visit to Mount Herzl to honor the heroes of the conflict and reflect on the tragedy of the war. Delegation members laid a wreath at the cemetery in remembrance of those lost during the conflict.
As a final stop, the delegation members visited with officers and crew of a U.S. warship in the eastern Mediterranean.