Blackburn, Bachmann to attend Thatcher funeral

Speaker John Boehner says he's sending a three-member House delegation to London for the funeral of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Boehner said in a statement on Monday that Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn will lead the delegation. Joining the Tennessee lawmaker will be fellow Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and George Holding of North Carolina.

The speaker called Thatcher one of the greatest champions of freedom that the world has ever known. The funeral for Thatcher, who died last week, will take place Wednesday at St. Paul's Cathedral.

The House delegation will fly commercial to London. In February, Boehner suspended the use of military aircraft for official trips by House members, part of the belt-tightening by Congress in response to automatic, across-the-board spending cuts that kicked in March 1.