Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, today issued the following statement after President-Elect Obama announced several nominations for his national security team:

“I applaud President-Elect Obama’s nomination of an experienced national security team.  Hillary Clinton, James Jones, Robert Gates, Janet Napolitano, Eric Holder, and Susan Rice each have a proven record of pragmatic problem-solving and bipartisan cooperation on a host of complex challenges to U.S. national security. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today submitted the following statement at a Foreign Relations hearing to examine the continuing crisis in Darfur. The full text of his remarks as prepared for delivery is below:

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for holding this hearing today. The crisis in Darfur remains one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time, and I believe that it is vitally important the United States remains actively engaged in bringing to an end one of the worst acts of genocide since Rwanda.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today hailed the signing of his legislation, the “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” into law.  The new law will provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today hailed final passage of his legislation which will provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  The “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” will now go to the President’s desk. 

Senator Urges President to Take Action Against Genocide and Sign Legislation into Law

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today lauded the Senate’s approval of his legislation which would provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  The “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” today passed by unanimous consent.

In response to opposition from the Bush Administration, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, today urged the President to recognize the urgency of the situation in Darfur and rethink Administration resistance to the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act.  The bipartisan bill, authored by Dodd, was overwhelmingly approved by the Banking Committee on October 17th by a vote of 21-0.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today oversaw the passage of three major bills out of the Committee.  The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007, and the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 all passed with bi-partisan support.

I want to thank Senators Menendez, Casey and Brown for agreeing to share the gavel during this important hearing, of vital interest to Americans concerned about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and the unspeakable suffering of millions of innocent men, women and children there.  The hearing offers an opportunity to focus here in the Banking Committee on what more Congress can do – and what all Americans can do – to increase pressure on the regime in Khartoum to radically change its behavior, and that of its proxies in the region. 

In his continued efforts to put additional pressure on the governments of Iran and Sudan, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) today commended the approval of a bill he authored, the International Emergency Economic Powers Enhancement Act (IEEPA), by the House of Representatives.  The bill, which was passed by the Senate in June, will now go to the President’s desk for his signature.      

Senate Banking Chairman Commends House Panel for Approving His Sanctions Bill

Pursuing additional pressure on the governments of Iran and Sudan, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) commended  the approval of a bill he authored, the International Emergency Economic Powers Enhancement Act, by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and urged the House of Representatives to take up and pass his legislation