FEINGOLD TO ATTEND WHITE HOUSE MEETING FOLLOWING PRESIDENT’S TRIP TO AFRICA Chairman of the Senate African Affairs Subcommittee to Hear From President About his Five Nation Trip Through Africa February 27, 2008 Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate African Affairs Subcommittee, will meet with President Bush on Thursday following the president's return from his five nation tour of Africa. Feingold will attend a White House meeting along with other congressional leaders for a briefing on the president’s trip which included stops in Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Liberia. Feingold, who has traveled to Africa eight times since joining the Senate in 1993, is looking forward to hearing about the president’s visit and discussing the critical issues that face the continent. “Africa faces serious challenges that affect not only the people of that continent but the international community as a whole,” Feingold said. “I look forward to meeting with the president to hear about his trip and discuss issues like preventing disease, including HIV/AIDS, addressing human rights abuses, the importance of humanitarian assistance, and supporting democratic institutions. I am pleased that the president is recognizing the importance of Africa. Prior to the president’s trip, Feingold sent him a letter encouraging him to emphasize the importance of continued democratic reform, respect for human rights and the rule of law, and peaceful conflict resolution. A copy of the letter is available here.

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