The Important Role of Congress

June 29, 2007
"What this is about is about travel by an individual who is second in line to the President of the United States. Like it or not, for the 434 others of us, it does mean something different when the Speaker of the House goes somewhere. "As my friend from Iowa indicates, all reports say when the trip to Syria occurred, that somehow it was perceived on the ground and in the region that somehow the United States was embarking upon new foreign policy."
--Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), June 21, 2007 speaking in support of legislation that would prohibit the Speaker of the House from traveling to countries listed as state sponsors of terrorism. The motion, which was defeated, was offered in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)’s meeting with Syrian leader Bashar Assad.
  • "We reinforced the administration's positions and at the same time we were trying to understand and maybe getting some voice to some things people wanted to say that maybe they were not comfortable saying to the administration. The jury's out ... but this was not an anti-administration trip at all."
    --Rep. David Hobson (R-OH), who accompanied Pelosi on the trip, April 5, 2007


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