The Hill News

Six members of the House, including Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio), traveled to Iraq this weekend to meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and senior U.S. military leaders.

"Just four years ago, a terrorist insurgency was killing innocent civilians and wreaking havoc across the country. Today Iraq is a different country," Boehner said in a statement. "Our members were able to see this progress firsthand."

Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Tom Rooney (R-Fla.), Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and Dan Boren (D-Okla.) made the trip with Boehner.

The Speaker said that because progress is being made in Iraq a drawdown in U.S. forces has been possible:

As a result of the significant progress that has been made, the drawdown of U.S. troops that began under the previous administration has been able to continue. Our first priority must be ensuring that the remaining 4! 6,000 U.S. forces and their civilian counterparts that are working with the Government of Iraq and advising and assisting the Iraqi Security Forces have the resources and support they need to complete their mission.