Senate Banking Cmte. Chairman Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) convened a meeting of the Committee members and held a press conference to discuss the state of the economy and the Administration’s proposal as presented to Congressional leaders.

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Prepared Remarks: Last month’s war between Russia and Georgia began in the small region of South Ossetia, but it cast a shadow that crosses continents.  In the aftermath of the conflict, the United States and our allies face serious new challenges. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, took to the floor of the U.S. Senate this afternoon to offer an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization Bill.  Dodd’s amendment, co-sponsored by Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN), would temporarily ease restrictions on certain regulations in order to address the humanitarian crisis in Cuba caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and Tropical Storms Fay and Hanna.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) made the following opening statement at today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on protocols making Croatia and Albania members of NATO. Dodd, who is a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, chaired the hearing at the request of Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE)

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today spoke on the Senate floor on the state of our nation’s infrastructure and the importance of long-term investment in our roads, bridges, mass transit, drinking water, and wastewater removal systems.  Dodd’s speech comes on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the tragic I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Tomorrow also marks one year since Dodd introduced the National Infrastructure Bank Act along with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE).  Dodd has held two hearings on the legislation, which has 12 co-sponsors.

In an effort to combat the epidemic of obesity sweeping the nation, Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) today introduced the Federal Obesity Prevention Act of 2008. This legislation, which is cosponsored by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), would establish a federal interagency taskforce responsible for creating a national strategy for combating obesity across America.  

As the Senate prepares for a final vote on the FISA Amendments Act today, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) took to the floor again to implore his colleagues to reject the bill, which would grant retroactive immunity to the telecommunication companies that participated in President Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program.  Dodd has fought alongside his colleagues Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to prevent any bill that provides retroactive immunity from passing the Senate.  The Senate today considered Dodd’s amendment to strike the retroactive immunity provision from the FISA bill.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) went to the Senate floor tonight to speak in opposition to the FISA legislation currently being considered by the Senate.  Dodd, a staunch opponent of retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies, has offered an amendment that would strip the retroactive immunity provision from the bill. 

Remarks as Prepared - Mr. President: I rise—once again—to voice my strong opposition to the misguided FISA legislation before us today.  I have strong reservations about the so-called improvements made to Title I.  But more than that, this legislation includes provisions which would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that apparently have violated the privacy and the trust of millions of Americans by participating in the president’s warrantless wiretapping program.  If we pass this legislation, the Senate will ratify a domestic spying regime that has already concentrated far too much unaccountable power in the president’s hands and will place the telecommunications companies above the law. 

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Remarks as Prepared: The Committee will please come to order.  We gather here this morning to examine once again the condition of our nation’s infrastructure and proposals for needed improvements to it.

When the Committee last gathered to examine this critical issue, we considered the perspectives from individuals who held expertise in public and private financing, civil engineering, labor, and business.  They were unanimous in voicing compelling support for increased investment in our nation’s infrastructure and for the need to develop and implement alternative ways to finance this critically important investment in our nation’s future.