CHESHIRE - U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) fielded questions from more than 120 high school juniors and seniors Tuesday and defended his support of the $700 billion bailout - or what he called a "workout."

"The idea isn't so much to have a bailout as a workout," Dodd said.

The Senate has passed a bipartisan resolution sponsored by Senators Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) establishing the 2008 National Character Counts Week to call the nation’s attention to the benefits of good character and character education.

The Senate resolution establishes Oct. 19-25 as the 2008 National Character Counts Week.  The Character Counts program is built on the “Six Pillars of Character,” which are promoted through school and community based character education programs across the country.  The six pillars are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families, today announced that October 16, 2008 will be recognized as “Lights on Afterschool Day,” a national celebration of afterschool programs.  This designation was made possible by this weekend’s Senate approval of a resolution introduced by Dodd and Senator John Ensign (D-NV).  Dodd and Ensign are co-chairs of the Senate’s Afterschool Caucus. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), senior member of Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee released the following statement on tonight’s House-Senate conference approval of the Higher Education Act.  This legislation includes several priorities that Senator Dodd has been advocating, including:

• Significant increases in Pell grants from $4,310 to $6,000 in 2009 and up to $8,000 by 2014;

• Provisions of Senators Dodd’s and Shelby’s “Private Student Loan Transparency and Improvement Act,” which provides new protections for borrowers of private student loans;

• Provisions to control costs, and make it easier for students to pay their tuition.

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today praised Senate Appropriations Committee approval of $241.1 million in federal funding for a variety of Connecticut initiatives.  This funding will be used for, among other services, economic development initiatives, education, health care, and family and community support programs – efforts essential to the wellbeing and continued success of Connecticut.

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that they were able to secure more than $3.4 million for Connecticut initiatives in the Senate’s fiscal year 2009 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill.  Among other projects funded by Senate appropriators, the bill includes over $1 million for the construction of a new public safety complex in Hartford.      

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) hailed today’s report by The Nation’s Report Card that found Connecticut eighth-grade students ranked first, along with students from New Jersey, out of 45 states in writing tests in 2007.    More than 165,000 eighth- and twelfth-graders across the nation participated in the writing assessment, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education.  Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families.   

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior Democrat on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families, held a Town Hall meeting at the Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy in East Hartford on Friday to discuss reforming No Child Left Behind.  Dodd  heard directly from students, teachers, administrators and parents on how they think the federal government can do a better job helping America’s students and schools.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today introduced legislation to address the critical issues facing our students concerning disparities in educational opportunities. The Student Bill of Rights Act of 2007 will help states provide students with the proper educational resources for success.

June 5, 2007

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV) will introduce legislation tomorrow to provide children with safe, healthy, and academically-focused afterschool programs.  The Improving 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2007 would enhance afterschool program quality and sustainability, address the obesity epidemic by including physical fitness and wellness programs in the list of possible programming activities, and encourage volunteerism.  Senator Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families.