Congressional delegation visits Africa to assess impact of U.S.-sponsored projects

A Congressional delegation consisting of six senators and one representative arrived in Africa on Thursday for an eight-day trip that "includes oversight of Department of Defense, Department of State, and USAID activities in Africa," the Daily Republic reports (Lawrence, 1/8). "According to [Sen. Lindsay Graham's (R-S.C.)] office, the delegation assessed 'the impact of U.S. sponsored counter-terrorism programs and projects relating to health, economic development, and strengthened trade relationships with African nations,'" the ONE blog writes.  

"In Ghana, ONE board members Bono and Joshua Bolten, former chief of staff to President George W. Bush, joined the delegation in seeing the progress that has been made in fighting AIDS at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, which receives funding through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria," visited "a school funded in part by a Millennium Challenge Corporation grant," and saw "a USAID-supported program providing insecticide-treated nets to fight malaria in the community," according to the blog. The delegation included Senators Graham, John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Rep. Kay Granger (R-Tex.), the blog notes (Nix, 1/7).