My family and I spent our morning assembling care packages for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan who put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms. I would like to thank Serve DC and Operation Gratitude for providing us with one way to give back.

Please Take a look at my flickr page for a few photos from the event.

For me, Monday is a day on—not a day off—to serve my country.  I remember standing as a boy, watching President Kennedy’s inauguration many years ago.  I remember being inspired as he asked his fellow citizens to serve their country, to give back to the country that has given us so much.  Those words have stayed with me throughout my career.  Whether it was during my time in the Peace Corps, building libraries in the Dominican Republic, or my time in Congress, working to expand service opportunities, I have strived to serve my country in all endeavors.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a Returned Peace Corps volunteer and one of the Senate’s leading champions of national service, today attended the ServiceNation Summit in New York City.   Dodd spoke about his current efforts to expand volunteer opportunities for Americans of all ages.

The full text of Senator Dodd’s remarks as prepared for delivery is below:

Prepared Remarks: I want to take a minute to thank my friend and colleague, Ted Kennedy.  While he may not be here today – he’s here today, believe me.  There is no greater champion of the ideals and goals we are discussing this week.  And he’ll be fighting with us every step of the way to turn them into a reality.

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All too often, we fail to draw upon the experience, knowledge, and ideas of older Americans. The potential pool of Americans 55 years of age and older who serve their communities is substantial and expected to grow by more than 22 percent in the next decade. Today, more than half of the individuals considered a part of the Baby Boomer generation are interested in providing meaningful service to their communities, but research shows that they are not adequately connected to national service opportunities.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families, today announced the final two pieces of legislation in a comprehensive strategy to expand and strengthen service opportunities for all Americans.  He was joined by Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the Chairman of the HELP Committee, in introducing the Semester of Service Act and the Encore Service Act.  These bills will target two distinct and critically important populations – young adults and Americans 55 years of age and older.

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I’m proud to be here with the National Peace Corps Association, to honor a cause that has done so much to shape my life—and the lives of so many people in this room.

Today, Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Russ Feingold (WI) lauded the final passage of their amendment which significantly increased Peace Corps funding.  The amendment, which was part of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, provides $10 million in additional funding which will allow the Peace Corps to open new country programs and further expand operations.

Today I am pleased to convene the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Narcotics Affairs. I would like to welcome my Ranking Member, Senator Corker, who has joined me at this morning’s hearing to receive testimony and ask questions on a very important topic – the Peace Corps.