8/24/2005
HARKIN TO VISIT IOWA NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) will travel to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Slovenia from August 25 through September 4. Harkin will visit Iowa National Guard troops stationed in Afghanistan, will receive Slovenia’s Presidential Award, and meet with Afghan and Pakistani leaders to discuss U.S. bilateral issues, regional security and human rights issues.

MEETING WITH IOWA TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN

Harkin will meet with the Iowa National Guards’ joint force headquarters unit based out of Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. Harkin will have lunch with the troops and discuss their duties while serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Harkin will deliver a myriad of donated gifts for the troops including Iowa flags donated by Governor Tom Vilsack and State Senator Jack Hatch, Iowa lapel pins, phone cards from the Southern-Bell Corporation, JollyTime microwave popcorn, Soy Nuts from the Chambers Family Farm, Granola breakfast bars from Quaker Oats, Iowa beef and corn donated by Iowa National Guard families, candles from the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board, soap and lip balm from Raining Rose Inc. and other miscellaneous gifts including candy donated by Senator Harkin’s Senate staff.

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN

While in Afghanistan, Harkin will meet with President Hamid Karzai to discuss progress on the war on terror and Operation Enduring Freedom.

In Pakistan, Harkin will meet with President Pervez Musharraf to discuss the war on terror, human rights, child labor and education. He will also visit a USAID literacy project and a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) program to combat abusive child labor.

HARKIN TO BE PRESENTED WITH SLOVENIA PRESIDENTIAL AWARD

The Decoration of the Golden Order of Merit will be awarded to Senator Harkin by the Slovene President Janez DrnovÓek in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The Decoration of the Golden Order of Merit is the highest civilian award that can be awarded by the President of Slovenia. As a United States Senator of Slovene ancestry, Harkin has been very supportive of Slovenia’s march toward independence and the robust democracy that has evolved since Slovenia gained its independence 14 years ago.