Reply #3: There were many Congressional delegations to the ME in 2005-2006

[frazzled]

Also, it says congressman, not senator, which may not be dispositive in limiting it to a member of the House as opposed to the Senate, but the words seem chosen carefully.

There were, upon cursory google, a number of delegations to the ME between 2005 and 2006

December 21, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Third District Congressman Jon Porter will be spending part of his holiday season visiting with heroes when he leads a congressional delegation to meet with American troops in the Middle East and Europe. The delegation will depart from Washington on December 26 and return shortly after New Year's Day, making stops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Pakistan and Germany. <...>Joining Porter on the trip will be Rep. Melissa Hart (R-PA), Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam), Rep. Dave Weldon (R-FL), Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) and Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO).

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/4387

Key Findings
of
Congressional Delegation to the Middle East
July 21 – 25, 2006
Including Representatives Hoekstra, Harman, Renzi and Issa

http://intelligence.house.gov/Media/PDFS/CodelHoekstra21July06.pdf

and most notably:

WASHINGTON, March 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the Congressional Delegation she led to the Middle East to assess the war in Iraq, the region's prospects for peace, and economic and political reform. Pelosi was joined by Representatives Darrel Issa (R- Calif.), George Miller (D-Calif.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), James McGovern (D- Mass.), and Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.). The Members traveled to Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt from March 18 to March 25, returning to the United States today. Pelosi's statement follows: