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.