WASHINGTON – Let’s hope there’s not more pressing business on the schedule. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will leave Sunday for a week-long trip to South America, leading a bipartisan Senate delegation “to show the United States commitment to strengthening ties with our neighbors in Latin America,” his office said.

The trip was Reid’s idea, after consulting with other senators about areas of the world that were not receiving sufficient attention. He and six senators will visit Guatemala, Colombia, Paraguay, and Mexico, and meet with the presidents of those countries. They will also go to the Brazil/Paraguay/Argentina Tri-Border area, and meet with officials there.

Reid came under criticism last year when he led a similar South American junket instead of attending former President Gerald R. Ford’s funeral.

This year, Reid’s trip comes as Congress is on a two-week holiday without having sent President Bush supplemental war funds. The Democratic-run Congress is refusing to give the president more war funding unless conditions are attached to start bringing troops home. The Pentagon says it is being forced to prepare for layoffs.

Reid’s office said despite the ongoing Iraq war, “We still need to pay attention to what‚s going on in other parts of the world. People who want to be critical of that aren’t looking at the whole picture of all of our country’s priorities,” said Reid spokesman Jon Summers. “Unfortunately, President Bush has had this country bogged down in Iraq, and hasn’t paid much attention to a lot of other issues this country is facing.”

The senators plan to discuss trade, counter-narcotics efforts and other “issues vital for the security and economy of the United States,” the office said.

Reid’s wife will join him on the government-paid trip. She will pay for meals and other expenses above those the senator already incurs for his hotels and transportation.

Joining Reid will be Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, and Robert Menéndez of New Jersey, as well as Republican Sens. Thad Cochran of Mississippi and Mike Crapo of Idaho.

The group returns Dec. 2.