Senator Chris Dodd accepted the "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids" award Wednesday, from the Connecticut Chiefs of Police for his work on behalf of our nation's children. Dodd accepted the award at the Green Street Arts Center in Middletown. Dodd will also toured the facility and met with staff to learn about their work to provide enrichment activities in all of the arts for area adults, teens, youth and families

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, made the following statement tonight following passage of the Merida Initiative.

“I’m pleased that Congress was able to reach a compromise on the Merida Initiative.  I am confident that this language will be acceptable to both the American and Mexican Governments.  The United States and Mexico must continue to work together to tackle our common security challenges and reduce drug trafficking and violence on both sides of our border.  Merida offers a strong first step toward achieving those goals and I look forward to continuing to work with our Mexican counterparts to bring about closer and more robust cooperation in the future.”

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), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, yesterday spoke on the Senate floor about the Merida Initiative, a bilateral proposal between the U.S. and Mexico designed to combat the drastic increase in drug related violence in Mexico. 

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that more than $90,000 in federal funds was awarded to the Hartford Fire Department.  The grant was made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program’s Fire Prevention & Safety Grant initiative, administered by the U.S. Fire Administration. In 2007, the AFG program awarded approximately $490 million in grants nationwide to enhance first-responder organizations and to help them effectively provide response equipment, personal protective equipment and vehicles.

As a part of his ongoing efforts to ensure our nation’s first responders are equipped with the training and tools they need, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today introduced legislation that would provide bomb squads across the country with funding for necessary equipment, training, and personnel by creating a new grant program. The “National Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Prevention and Preparedness Act” would also establish a national Senior Advisory Committee for IED Prevention and Response whose sole focus would be to ensure that our nation is prepared for an IED threat at the federal, state, and local level. Dodd’s bill has been endorsed by the National Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board and the National Tactical Officers Association. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today met with Norwich officials, including the Mayor Ben Lathrop, City Manager Alan Bergren, Human Services Officer Beverly Goulet, Emergency Management Officer Gene Arters, Fire Chief Ken Scandariato, and Police Chief Louis Fusaro, to receive a briefing on this weekend’s fire at the 120-unit Peachtree Garden Apartments complex on Westledge Drive. Dodd expressed to city officials that his staff will be available to help the city and the victims cope with this disaster.   

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that $73,902 in federal grants were awarded to the Southington Fire Department. The grant was made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program’s Fire Prevention & Safety Grant (FP&S) initiative, administered by the U.S. Fire Administration. The purpose of these grants is to assist State, regional, national or local organizations to address fire prevention and safety. The primary goal is to reach high-risk target groups including children, seniors and firefighters.

The Senate Homeland Security Committee today unanimously approved legislation to reauthorize and increase funding for the U.S. Fire Administration and to expand the National Fire Academy. The bill was authored by Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), who is Ranking Member of the Committee, and it was cosponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), the Committee’s Chairman. Other cosponsors include Senators Joe Biden (D-DE) and John McCain (R-AZ).

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) was today presented with an honorary fire helmet by the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) to commemorate his appointment as a co-chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.  Earlier this year, Dodd was made an honorary member of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).  He is only the fourth non-fire fighter and the first elected official to receive this honor in the IAFF’s 90-year history.