Matthew Hamilton reports in the Albany Times Union that Rep. John Faso (R-Kinderhook) left the area Aug. 7 for Israel on a week-long fact-finding trip paid for by the American Israel Education Foundation. The U.S. House Ethics Committee approved the trip. What does Faso think about what's going on in the Middle East? "I think the status quo is what we are going to have to deal with until such time that the status quo changes," Faso said. The group Faso will be with will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an undisclosed representative from the Palestinian Authority. Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.