August 24, 2000

U.S. Congressmen to Visit Estonia

Six Congressmen from the U.S. House of Representatives will visit Estonia on August 28 and 29, 2000. The delegation will be led by Representative Harold Rogers of Kentucky, a member of the House Appropriations Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary (which oversees the operations of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State and the Federal judiciary).

The primary purpose of the Congressmen's six-country trip (to Dublin, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, The Hague, Copenhagen, and Edinburgh) is to examine the overseas operations of: the Departments of State, Commerce, and Justice.

While in Tallinn, the Congressmen and their staff will meet with American Embassy personnel to discuss general Embassy operations and staffing. The delegation will also attend a dinner hosted by the Speaker of the Riigikogu, Toomas Savi. Members of the Estonian-American Parliamentary Friendship Committee will also attend.

In addition to Representative Harold Rogers, the members of the Congressional delegation are: Representatives Tom Latham of Iowa and Dan Miller of Florida, both of whom are members of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary; Representative John Linder of Georgia; Representative John Mica of Florida; and, Representative Collin Peterson of Minnesota.