Groton - Politicians praised the Navy's decision to award Electric Boat a $14 billion contract to build the next eight Virginia-class submarines Tuesday, calling it an economic stimulus that will help Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia and states across the country that build submarine parts.

Electric Boat, with facilities in Groton and North Kingstown, R.I., and the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard in Virginia will jointly build one ship per year in 2009 and 2010, and two ships per year from 2011 through 2013 - a production increase that starts a year earlier than the Navy had originally planned.

A new $14 billion contract with General Dynamics Corp.'s Electric Boat unit and Northrop Grumman Corp. will double submarine production to two annually and save and create thousands of jobs amid the recession, officials said Tuesday.

Representatives of the U.S. Navy and the two companies, along with labor union leaders and members of Connecticut and Rhode Island's congressional delegations, hailed the contract at Electric Boat's shipyard in Groton. They called it critical to the region's economy and for national security as China and other countries build submarines..

U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, are asking Pfizer Inc.'s chief executive officer to reconsider plans to replace local contractors at its southeastern Connecticut campuses with foreign workers.

In a letter Monday to Jeffrey B. Kindler, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive officer, Dodd and Courtney said they are concerned about a companywide policy dubbed Procedure 117 that would replace local information-technology contract workers at its Groton and New London sites with workers from outside firms, including those from overseas.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) sent the following letter today to Jeffrey B. Kindler, CEO of Pfizer Inc, expressing their concern over recent reports that suggest the company has been training foreign contractors to replace local workers at their facilities in New London and Groton.

NORWALK -- In the face of looming federal budget constraints, Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., told employees of Norden Systems on Monday that $20 million has been included in the 2009 defense budget for an improved radar system to be built at the plant.

The allocation would allow continued development of the multi-platform radar technology insertion program, designed to replace air-to-ground systems on 17 Joint Stars Air Force aircraft.The new version would expand the surveillance system to air-to-air capabilities.

Senator Chris Dodd, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, spoke to the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut this morning about the current state of the economy, the Hope for Homeowners program and his efforts to address the financial crisis in Washington, D.C.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement today on the recent news that the number of Connecticut households applying for home heating assistance has more than tripled as compared with this time last year.  Last winter, more than 86,000 households in Connecticut received assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a number which is expected to increase dramatically before the season is over.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately investigate the cases of contaminated candy made in China and distributed  in Connecticut over the last few days.  Dodd wrote to FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach urging the FDA to take immediate action and ensure that no additional Americans are put at risk. 

Eleven Connecticut cities and towns will receive equipment worth a total of $148,870 to help improve first responder capabilities, Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman announced today. The equipment will be provided by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program (CEDAP). The initiative provides resources such as communications interoperability equipment, information sharing technology, chemical detection devices, sensors, personal protective equipment, and rescue tools. The CEDAP also provides first responders with training in how to use the equipment, devices, and technology.

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today announced they secured more than $19.2 billion for the Connecticut defense industry and $106 million for military construction projects in the state.  The funding, which was approved by the Senate today as part of the Defense and the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs Appropriations Acts, will boost Connecticut’s economy and help ensure that soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen - active duty, national guard, and reserve forces, have the resources and support they need to successfully perform their missions.