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) today announced Senate passage of legislation that includes an eight-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) that will greatly benefit Connecticut fuel cell manufacturers.  The long-term extension, which was approved by the Senate last night as part of a comprehensive package of tax extensions, will provide these Connecticut companies with the financial security they need to make long range plans, increase their investments, and add even more well-paying jobs.   

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. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) released the following statement on NASA’s decision to re-open the competition for the new Constellation Space Suit System:

“This is great news for Connecticut and its workers, but more importantly, this is the right decision by NASA,” said Dodd.  “The workers of Hamilton Sundstrand know space-suits better than anyone else and they deserve a fair shot at this contract.  I’m confident that Hamilton Sundstrand can win this competition and will continue to build the suits worn by our country’s astronauts, just as they have for the last 40 years.”

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. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, announced today that Connecticut will receive more than $25 million for communities who have been affected most by the foreclosure crisis.  The funding is provided through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program under The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), released the following statement today after the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense approved a preliminary version of the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill.  If passed by the Congress and signed into law by the President, the bill will provide critical funding for Connecticut’s defense industry, particularly in the areas of submarine and aircraft purchases, as well as critical radar technology research. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) recently sent a letter to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Michael Griffin expressing concern about how the recent competition for the new Constellation Space Suit System was executed.  The competition resulted in NASA awarding the new contract to Oceaneering International, a firm that specializes in deep sea diving suits, instead of Connecticut-based Hamilton Sundstrand, the company that has manufactured America’s space suits for more than 40 years.  This decision has since been withdrawn by NASA due to concerns voiced by the NASA Inspector General and a protest filed by Hamilton Sundstrand with the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The National Park Service Advisory Board voted today to approve Coltsville’s bid to become a National Historical Landmark.  Connecticut Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Chris Dodd (D-CT), as well as Congressman John B. Larson (D-CT-01) applaud the Board’s decision and its recognition of the important piece of history that the Colt Factory represents. The decision now heads to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne’s desk for final approval. This is a major step towards attaining National Park status for the area and all of the benefits that come with that designation.