Dodd Remains Busy...

This week, Senator Dodd has been working on a number of bills, and still managing to find the time to give interviews about the battle for the Democratic nomination. As of last Thursday, Dodd has been pushing for changes in the Act he helped create over 10 years ago, the Family Medical Leave Act. Although getting the act passed then was a triumph in itself, Dodd now plans to re-vamp it, saying that it’s reforms don’t extend as far as he’d like. In his most prominent change to the legislation, he wants to include a section that would give paid leave to workers who have encountered difficulties on the job and are unable to return to work. In finance, Dodd has also been making waves, with a new plan co-authored with Representative Barney Frank that according to CNN, outlines an idea where over “$300 billion in loan guarantees from the Federal Housing Administration to refinance loans that homeowners can't afford as long as the original lender reduces the principal on the loan to 85% of the home's current market value.” Finally, Dodd gave an interview at the end of last week where he weighed in about the fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination, saying that they’ve “got to wrap this up. You let it go any longer than that, and you run the risk of doing such damage that the nomination won't be worth much."

The econom and Dodd

Last Friday Sen. Dodd has voiced his concern about Bush's pick about President Bush"s pick for the new Sectary of Housing and Development, citing inexperience about housing as the reason for his concern. Thursday Sen Dodd stated that the only way to help the U.S. housing problem would to have large-scale government intervention and Sen. Dodd says that a deal must be made in the upcoming weeks if the Housing Crisis is to be solved. In the student-loan market Sen. Dodd testified before a senate hearing that providers of both Federally guaranteed loans and private have been pulling out from the market. Sen. Dodd has vowed to protect the student-loan market and has moved to make Federal Finance Banking funds available for said purpose. In hearings about flood insurance Sen. Dodd has opposed expansion to cover wind damage citing that the cost is too high to be practical Thursday Sen. Dodd received Holy Communion at Nationals Park during the Papal Mass.

Dodd Endorses Obama

Although he is now busier than ever in Congress trying to promote economic stimulus bills and oppose wiretapping immunity, Chris Dodd still has time to keep a foot in the race for the Democratic nomination. On Wednesday, Chris Dodd decided to endorse Senator Barack Obama for president, becoming the first former presidential candidate to formally endorse someone. Although Dodd admitted he was unsure of Obama’s abilities in the incipient phases of the race, he now feels that Obama is “ready to be president.” Dodd gave his endorsement remarks in Cleveland, Ohio, where Obama was currently campaigning leading up the crucial primaries on March 4th. He spoke at a press conference, where he voiced many of his ideas about the campaign, worrying that the Democratic voters are lacking a figure to rally around because of the drawn out struggle between Obama and Clinton. Dodd said that he chose Obama because “he believes Barack Obama is uniquely qualified to help us face this housing crisis, create good jobs, strengthen America's families in this 21st century global economy, unite the world against terrorism and end the war in Iraq -- and perhaps more importantly, call the American people to shared service and sacrifice.” After speaking eloquently on Obama’s behalf, Chris Dodd went on to crusade for other causes later the same week—trying to alleviate the foreclosure crisis and “restoring the confidence of consumers and investors in our economy.”

*Accidentally posted by Caroline A on the Keyes Blog on March 1st at 7:05 PM

In response to the retirement of Fidel Castro, Sen. Dodd stated that the U.S.'s policy toward Cuba was "one of the most backwards and ineffective in history" Sen. Dodd then went on to state that this regime change was an opportunity for the U.S. to change as well, saying that the U.S. should open up to Cuba and to re-establish ties with the country. Wednesday a study of environmental voting in Congress, with the Conn. officials in the lead, except for Sen. Dodd who had a 60% due to missed question sessions from his time on the campaign trail. Sen. Dodd has announced that part of the legislative focus in the economy will be on homeowners and business insurance. Sen. Dodd has proposed that all high-school student do at least 100 hours of community service, but that the service be integrated in some manner with their academics and that the schools will be able to shape the community service program to the manner needed by the community- this program will hopefully instill a sense of patriotism in the youth at an impressionable time. Monday Sen. Dodd is visiting Bridgeport (who is discussing security) to talk to them about the state of the economy and what is being done. Sunday Sen. Dodd criticized the Navy's move from having an American company build the new presidential helicopter to an European company. Last Sunday, the Senate failed to pass a bill that would remove the immunity of the phone companies that aided in the illegal surveillance- Sen. Dodd was one of the leaders of this bill, Sen. Dodd also opposed a bill that would expand the ability of the government to spy on the populace- but the bill has been passed. Other bills by Sen. Dodd are held up in Congress, like one that would help Katrina victims move out from the FEMA trailers.

Dodd is Diligent in Congress...

This week, Senator Dodd was busy in Congress once again. On Tuesday, Dodd made his final attempt to strip immunity from the phone companies involved in government warrantless wiretapping, but he failed in this endeavor. Dodd was disheartened that the amendment he tried to add to a FISA provision to end “retroactive immunity” was crushed, remarking that warrantless wiretapping is “the single largest invasion of privacy in the history of the country.” However, on Wednesday, Dodd was resilient, making way for new bills on the Senate floor. He introduced legislation on the 13th called the Military Commission Act of 2006, which would restore habeas corpus rights for terrorist detainees as well as to place an outright ban on torture. Dodd tried to convince 45 senators who voted against the ban on waterboarding that it actually is torture, saying “Let me be clear: there is no such thing as simulated drowning. When a person is strapped to a board and water is poured into their mouth and nose with no way to get air, that is drowning; that is torture.” Not only did Dodd speak out against waterboarding on Wednesday, he was involved in other matters in Senate as well. He spoke about the Family and Medical Leave Act, and said that the changes proposed by the Department of Labor to the act would weaken it entirely. At the same time, Dodd has been also working diligently as the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee in an effort to skirt a recession, although he is reluctant to even label the current crisis as such, noting “It would be inappropriate for the secretary and the chairman to start putting a label” on the subprime crisis.

Wednesday, Senator Dodd (Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee) had meet with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake to discuss the mortgage crisis and the actions taken to rectify the situation. Thursday Sen. Dodd met with Shelia Blair, the chair women of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, to discuss her opinion. Sen. Dodd also plan to meet with each member of the Senate Banking Committee to discuss their ideas, their plans of action they take to solve the crisis. At the moment Sen. Dodd states the best course of action would be a short-term stimulus package and then planning longer-term solutions. There is speculation the Dodd may be nominate for Vice President, especially after Sen. Obama's remark about seeking Dodd's counsel if elected president.
On Bush's remark about the delaying of the conformations of his nominees, Sen. Dodd stated that the economy must first be fixed and then the nominees will be tested about their views. In an alternate solution to public works (The decaying infrastructure of America ), Sen. Dodd has proposed the creation of an independent National Infrastructure Bank which project seeking grants of at least 75 million would submit to to be judged- though existing projects, earmarks and grants would not be affected by this bank.

Dodd is Out but not Down

Over the last weeks since withdrawing from the presidential race, Chris Dodd has returned to life in Congress and East Haddam, Connecticut. Like his fellow Congressman Joe Biden, Dodd held a press conference during his first week back in Congress, mostly to discuss his new goals for the remainder of the legislative session. However, Dodd does have some remaining business to attend to. He recently sent out an email to his supporters and has been soliciting since for campaign donations, writing “We could not have waged the ideas based campaign and raised over $15M without you. Unfortunately, we do have a debt to retire and I am grateful for your support.” Once he has these financial follies out of the way, Dodd will be able to focus his full attention on furthering his Congressional agenda. He has decided to begin his re-entrance into congressional politics by filibustering AT&T and Verizon’s attempt to gain retroactive immunity for their involvement in the “warrantless wiretapping program.” Dodd also has other plans in mind. As the head of the Senate Banking Committee, he has planned to have “the government to set up a company backed by an initial $10 bil to $20 bil to buy distressed mortgages and provide lower-balance fixed mortgages to homeowners facing foreclosure.” Since he has presumably spent so much of his current attention fixed on Senate matters, he has not publicly endorsed a presidential candidate.