DeWine headed to Haiti

Sen. Mike DeWine, his wife, Fran, and their 23-year-old daughter, Alice, are traveling to Haiti this week. It will be DeWine's last trip as a U.S. senator to the island he has taken a personal interest in during the last 12 years that he's served in Washington.

DeWine lost his re-election campaign to Democrat Sherrod Brown last month.

During the trip, the DeWines will meet with Haitian political leaders, and visits to local schools. Sen. DeWine last visited Haiti with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in 2005 as part of a delegation to show support for Haiti’s presidential election.

He introduced the Haiti Economic Recovery Opportunity (HERO) Act just before the election that would improve the economic and political situation in Haiti by promoting trade. The bill would use trade incentives to encourage the Haitian government to make reforms. The Senate approved a similar bill in 2004, but it wasn't voted on in the House.

The DeWines will return from Haiti on Saturday. Sen. DeWine will be in Washington next week for his last congressional session.