Wondering how Rep. Tim Mahoney is spending his August recess? Well, this week, he's spending time in Israel meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders as part of a six-day visit from House lawmakers.
What will he be doing there? Mahoney is discussing issues of security, peace negotiations and counterterrorism efforts, aides say, and he'll be meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayaad.
Oh and in case you're interested, taxpayer dollars weren't used to fund the trip. The trip is sponsored by the America Israel Education Foundation, a charitable organization and was pre-approved by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (House Ethics Committee).
For those keeping track, this is Mahoney's second trip overseas in the last month. He recently returned from a congressional trip to Iraq and Germany.